Getty Jayson Tatum, Robert Williams III, and Malcolm Brogdon of the Boston Celtics
After the Boston Celtics were eliminated by the Miami Heat in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, NBA Insider Shams Charania reported that center Robert Williams III played their last game season while dealing with an illness.
“I’m told that Robert Williams was throwing up during the game. He only played 14 minutes last night. He was coming in and coming out of the game. When he would come out, he would throw up. He was dealing with a stomach virus, a stomach bug, that he played through it. He was sick yesterday. He’s sick going in today. He only played 14 minutes, so that’s a guy that the Celtics have depended on a lot over the course of the last couple of years.”
“I’m told that Robert Williams was throwing up during (Game 7).”
Our NBA Insider @ShamsCharania has the details behind another Celtics’ health matter.
During the game, it had been reported by The Athletic’s Jay King that Williams had to go to the locker room, though it was not confirmed at the time why Williams had to exit the game.
Robert Williams has walked back to the locker room area. Looked like he was in pain.
The Celtics were already dealing with multiple players who were playing hurt during Game 7, like Malcolm Brogdon playing with a partial tendon tear in his shooting arm and Jayson Tatum hurting his ankle on the game’s first possession.
Jayson Tatum hurt his ankle on the first play of the game.
He’s staying in the game.
Injuries and sickness are part of the game, but they undoubtedly played a hand in how the Celtics fared in Game 7.
Malcolm Brogdon Calls Out Celtics’ Defensive Woes
During his postgame press conference, Brogdon said that the Celtics’ problems centered around their defense and explained why that was an issue.
“It was THE issue,” Brogdon told reporters. “I think this was a team in the last year that prided themselves on defense. I think defense was our calling card. This year, offense was our calling card. I don’t think you win championships with a high … with a better offense than you have a defense.”
“I don’t think you win championships with a better offense than you do a defense… on any given night we’d let go of the rope.”
Malcolm Brogdon on Celtics not being able to find their defensive identity
The Celtics finished second overall in defensive rating among NBA teams in the regular season, behind only the Cleveland Cavaliers, where they allowed 110.6 points per 100 possessions. They dropped all the way to tenth overall in the playoffs, allowing 112.9 points per 100 possessions, among the 16 teams that qualified for the playoffs.
Despite their defensive issues, the Celtics had the third-highest offensive rating among NBA teams, scoring 116.1 points per 100 possessions.
Jayson Tatum Addresses Ankle Injury
During his postgame press conference, Tatum talked about what it was like for him to play the rest of Game 7 after injuring his ankle on the game’s very first possession.
“I saw the video after the game that I came down on my ankle,” Tatum told reporters. “And that’s tough because it kind of impacted me the rest of the night. It swelled up, and it was just frustrating that I was kind of a shell of myself. It was tough to move. It was just frustrating, especially that it happened on the first play.”
“It was frustrating that I was a shell of myself.”
Jayson Tatum on ankle injury during first play of the game
After Tatum wrapped up his press conference, he limped his way off the podium, demonstrating that he was clearly hampered by the badly-timed injury.
Jayson Tatum limps off the podium after the Celtics Game 7 loss.
Tatum played 42 minutes after spraining his ankle on the first play of the game.
Despite spraining his ankle so early on, Tatum played 42 minutes. In Game 7, Tatum put up 14 points and 11 rebounds while shooting five-for-13 from the field, including one-for-four from three.