Getty Grant Williams, Boston Celtics
Grant Williams got the NBA world talking when he made the bold claim that the Boston Celtics were the better team during their NBA Finals series against the Golden State Warriors – a series which the Celtics lost in six games.
“To this day, I will still say confidently, CONFIDENTLY, they were not the better team. They were the more disciplined team. They’re disciplined, and their championship pedigree is real,” Williams said during his July 20 appearance on The Long Shot Podcast.
Of course, it’s fair to assume that most of the NBA world disagreed, considering the Warriors won three straight games to close out the series, holding Boston to under 100 points in each of those contests. Brian Windhorst shared a similar thought process when asked about Williams’ comments during a July 21 episode of ESPN’S First Take.
“As somebody who covered the Celtics for every game in rounds two, three, and four, as good as they were, and everything they had going for them. It was maddening how they would lose their focus at times…You can’t throw off discipline as a throw-away line. Discipline is a big reason why teams win – it comes with experience. I think that Grant saying that might show a lack of discipline from him, and not understanding what it takes to win at the highest level,” Windhorst said.
Williams Reveals Trash Talk With Draymond
During the NBA Finals, Grant Williams and Draymond Green were regularly seen going back and forth with each other, as the two outspoken personalities collided on the biggest stage basketball has to offer.
Of course, Green is widely recognized as being a master of the dark arts and knows how to get under an opponent’s skin. But, according to Williams, he was doing research on how to repay the favor and even managed to quiet Green for an entire game.
“Somebody told me a story about how Draymond got into an altercation when he was younger and got knocked out. I was literally doing research. That was the first time I’ve had Draymond not say something back to me – I was like, ‘Yeah I got that one’,” Williams told Duncan Robinson during the Long Shot Podcast.
On finals trash talk
“Somebody told me a story about how Draymond got into an altercation when he was younger and got knocked out. I was literally doing research. That was the first time I’ve had Draymond not say something back to me – I was like, ‘Yeah I got that one’
Williams Made Massive Improvements Last Season
A major storyline of the Celtics’ 2021-22 season was how much internal development took place on their roster. Robert Williams had a breakout season and became recognized as one of the best defensive centers in the NBA, Jayson Tatum had an All-NBA First Team caliber season, and Grant Williams evolved into one of the best three-and-d forwards in the NBA.
Grant Williams’ development was probably the most shocking, as just the prior season, he had struggled to remain on the floor, due to his inability to stay in front of his opponents on the defensive end. However, the third-year combo forward enjoyed a solid bounce-back season and ensured he was considered a vital part of Boston’s rotation.
This Grant Williams is not the same Grant Williams as last year. Improved every aspect of his game.
Williams ended the season with averages of 7.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and an assist per game while shooting 41.1% from the perimeter, and if he can continue to provide that sort of impact again this season, we should expect Brad Stevens to offer him a contract extension – as he becomes a restricted free agent next summer.