After struggling to crack the Boston Celtics rotation during their first-round playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks, Grant Williams is proving to be vital in the battle against Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers.
However, Williams was fortunate to escape a serious injury during Boston’s May 5 victory over the Sixers, as Joel Embiid accidentally stomped on William’s head during a moment of madness.
After the game, Williams discussed the incident with Jared Weiss of The Atheltic and noted how he just wanted to return to the court as soon as possible so that he could continue to help his team battle for a victory.
Jaylen Brown: “I ain’t gonna keep commenting on the officiating.. What I saw was Grant getting his head stepped on by a 300 lbs. individual. To see that live was crazy in real time. That was probably the craziest thing I’ve seen on a basketball court.”
“I was like, dang, I really got curb stomped! I got curb stomped a little bit, but it wasn’t intentional. It’s the playoffs, so you expect battles like this. You expect to bleed; you expect to be elbowed. It’s nothing new. So for me, it was just like, get me back into the game as soon as possible,” Williams told Jared Weiss of The Athletic.
Jaylen Brown Shocked at Joel Embiid’s Stomp
When speaking to the media following the game, Celtics All-Star wing Jaylen Brown revealed his shock at witnessing his teammate getting his head stomped on during the Celtics’ victory over Philadelphia.
“When I saw Grant get his head stepped on by a 300-pound individual, to see that live was crazy,” Brown said. “Seeing that in real-time, it was probably the craziest thing I’ve seen on a basketball court.”
Malcolm Brogdon Praises Celtics Defense
When addressing the media following Boston’s latest win over the Sixers, recently crowned Sixth Man of the Year, Malcolm Brogdon praised his team’s defensive intensity over their last two games while noting that Grant Williams has been a huge part of the team’s success.
“It started with Jaylen… Grant has been huge.”
Malcolm Brogdon talks Celtics stepping up their defense vs. the Sixers in last two wins
“Honestly, it started with Jayeln. Jaylen’s picked-up Harden made it difficult the last two games, and it’s changed the whole series,” Brogdon said. “And then, since Embiid’s gotten back, Grant’s been huge. Everybody who’s guarded him has been huge. I think our details, our execution, our plan to guard him, the scouting report that Joe has put together, the coaches, I think, has been stellar defensively.”
With their latest win, the Celtics have taken control of their second-round series against the Sixers, holding a 2-1 lead over their fierce rivals. Now, both teams will turn their attention toward Sunday, May 7, when the two franchises will face off in game four, with a win for Boston putting them in pole position to progress, thus heaping pressure on the Sixers to tie things back up before heading back to Boston for game five on Tuesday, May 9.
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Celtics’ Grant Williams Reacts to Joel Embiid’s Head Stomp