Inside The Celtics

Marcus Smart's Absence Makes Monday's Celtics-Bulls Game as Good a Time as Any to Start Robert Williams

Pairing Robert Williams with Al Horford helps the Celtics play at their best, and they should aim to do so as much as possible.

Bobby Krivitsky

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
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Saturday night in San Antonio, Marcus Smart sustained a left knee contusion when he took a Zach Collins knee to the back of the same area on an illegal screen from the Spurs' forward.

The play occurred in the third quarter of the Celtics' 121-116 win to wrap up their four-game road trip. Smart, who had to get helped down the tunnel, did not return.

Initially listed as doubtful to suit up for Monday's home game against the Bulls, Boston's downgraded Smart, meaning the hosts will be without their starting floor general for this matchup.

Derrick White's started in 33 of 40 games this season, including 13 straight. Smart's absence might lead to Grant Williams returning to the starting lineup, something he has done 14 times this campaign.

However, it also opens the door for the Celtics to start Robert Williams alongside Al Horford. The Timelord has exclusively come off the bench since making his season debut on Dec. 16.

Williams and Horford have played together in eight games, averaging 4.8 minutes of shared floor time and generating a 4.3 net rating while limiting opponents to 93.5 points per 100 possessions, per NBA.com.

Williams will presumably return to the starting lineup at some point, and with Smart sidelined, Monday's matchup against the Bulls seems like as good a time as any.

Further Reading

Here are Three Prop Bets to Consider Ahead of Monday's Celtics-Bulls Showdown

The Latest on Marcus Smart, Who Exited the Celtics-Spurs Game Due to a Knee Injury

The Top 5 Plays from Saturday's Celtics-Spurs Game

Here's What Stood Out in the Celtics' Win vs. Spurs: Boston Never Trails but Has to Fend Off San Antonio in Game That Goes Down to the Wire

[Film Room] How the Celtics Limited Luka Doncic's Impact as a Scorer and Facilitator

Boston Fans Will Absolutely Love What Jaylen Brown Said Before Celtics-Mavericks Tilt

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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