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Boston Celtics players who need to step up after Robert Williams injury

By Jack Simone

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - FEBRUARY 11: Robert Williams III #44 of the Boston Celtics reacts during a game against the Denver Nuggets at TD Garden on February 11, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - FEBRUARY 11: Robert Williams III #44 of the Boston Celtics reacts during a game against the Denver Nuggets at TD Garden on February 11, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images) /
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Boston Celtics, Robert Williams
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 16: Daniel Theis #27 of the Boston Celtics looks on in the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on March 16, 2022 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /

Boston Celtics players who need to step up after Robert Williams injury: Daniel Theis

Brad Stevens traded Enes Freedom, Dennis Schroder, and Bruno Fernando to the Houston Rockets at the trade deadline. In exchange, he brought back a familiar face in Daniel Theis.

Theis was a part of Boston’s Eastern Conference Finals runs, and in 2020 he was the starting center for the C’s as they marched all the way there. And while he’s in no position to start for the Celtics this year, he’ll be a major help off the bench.

With Williams out, the Celtics will need their backup big man to play more minutes than they initially anticipated. He’ll likely have to play around 15-20 minutes a night from now on at a bare minimum.

Before the injury, Udoka commonly ran a seven-man lineup consisting of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, Williams, Horford, Derrick White, and Grant Williams.

Theis got some spot minutes, and Payton Pritchard has slowly inserted themselves into that rotation as well, but Theis needs to adapt the next-man-up mentality now.

He’s going to have to play a bunch of playoff minutes and take on some serious defensive matchups. Whether or not he’ll play free safety as Williams did is yet to be seen, but at the very least, he’ll take on a bunch of the available minutes.

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