Robert Williams, aka "Timelord"

[Feed Your Head]

[Parliament10]

Read on Twitter

Hell of a Deal, to have this Guy under contract.
And, at a Bargain Basement Price.

[hugepatsfan]

My concern with Rob Williams is what happens when Horford leaves. It seems that part of the EXPLOSION in production for RWilliams on the defensive end in particular is the presence of Horford to defend bigs. BOS has been putting Williams on wings to start possessions which has freed him up to be a weakside shot blocker and passing lane disruptor.

Horford isn't what he once was, but he still brings a very unique combination of skills. Not too many big men can adequately:

1) defend the rim
2) switch onto the perimeter vs the P&R
3) space the floor

Al isn't as mobile as he once was and he's having a bad shooting year overall, but he's still respectable in all 3 of those areas. Finding a guy who can do all 3 will be tough. Even if you find a guy who can do #1 and #2, if he can't do #3 then it might not be an offensively viable 2-big lineup like we have now. And if you sacrifice #1 or #2, you have to change philosophically how we use RWIlliams on defense and/or the switch everything scheme we use overall.

Obviously RWIlliams is a good player who I expect to succeed regardless, but getting a Horford replacement to me is vital for unlocking Williams' ultimate potential.

[Parliament10]

My concern with Rob Williams is what happens when Horford leaves. It seems that part of the EXPLOSION in production for RWilliams on the defensive end in particular is the presence of Horford to defend bigs. BOS has been putting Williams on wings to start possessions which has freed him up to be a weakside shot blocker and passing lane disruptor.

Horford isn't what he once was, but he still brings a very unique combination of skills. Not too many big men can adequately:

1) defend the rim
2) switch onto the perimeter vs the P&R
3) space the floor

Al isn't as mobile as he once was and he's having a bad shooting year overall, but he's still respectable in all 3 of those areas. Finding a guy who can do all 3 will be tough. Even if you find a guy who can do #1 and #2, if he can't do #3 then it might not be an offensively viable 2-big lineup like we have now. And if you sacrifice #1 or #2, you have to change philosophically how we use RWIlliams on defense and/or the switch everything scheme we use overall.

Obviously RWIlliams is a good player who I expect to succeed regardless, but getting a Horford replacement to me is vital for unlocking Williams' ultimate potential.

Theis can do some of those things. He is a much better Backup than was Freedom.

[zoyathedestroya]

Read on Twitter

[darrendaye]

My concern with Rob Williams is what happens when Horford leaves. It seems that part of the EXPLOSION in production for RWilliams on the defensive end in particular is the presence of Horford to defend bigs. BOS has been putting Williams on wings to start possessions which has freed him up to be a weakside shot blocker and passing lane disruptor.

Horford isn't what he once was, but he still brings a very unique combination of skills. Not too many big men can adequately:

1) defend the rim
2) switch onto the perimeter vs the P&R
3) space the floor

Al isn't as mobile as he once was and he's having a bad shooting year overall, but he's still respectable in all 3 of those areas. Finding a guy who can do all 3 will be tough. Even if you find a guy who can do #1 and #2, if he can't do #3 then it might not be an offensively viable 2-big lineup like we have now. And if you sacrifice #1 or #2, you have to change philosophically how we use RWIlliams on defense and/or the switch everything scheme we use overall.

Obviously RWIlliams is a good player who I expect to succeed regardless, but getting a Horford replacement to me is vital for unlocking Williams' ultimate potential.

My thoughts exactly. Have long thought the best plan for him was to find a way to pair him with another big to allow him to defend in space more and reduce the time he needs to muscle up against a low post threat.

Personally I think the best way is to try to reup with Horford for 2 seasons if he's willing to waive and re-sign. I don't hate Theis, but I also don't think he replicates the impact Horford has defensively as a guy who is difficult to move. I've thrown out the name in other threads, but the closest to a near prime Horford, to me, is Wendell Carter.

But you don't need a Carter level player, per se. In fact, they have a near perfect mix (IMO) with Tatum/Timelord/Horford with Horford's reduced stature and being a guy who does not finish games. Allows for Tatum and Timelord to slide down and get a 6th man wing scorer/defender to fill out the closing unit (White currently).

As for guys who could fill this version of Horford's role? Still a challenge. I still say Giles is a worthwhile gamble, especially if you have Horford and Theis around to mentor a bit. Otherwise, as you mention, you're hard pressed getting someone who may be able to offer the 3 factors you mention. Best chance if a guy who can give the 2 defensive elements and enough of a mid-range game to project further out in a few years....

[Fencer reregistered]

Since Ime changed the scheme to make Rob more of a roamer, who other than Horford has been paired with Rob in that role, and how has it worked out?

[Jaqua92]

If Rob can add an outside shot to his arsenal (like 15 feet out), and at least hit an occasional three, he could jump into the "Best Big Man" in the league conversation. As good as he is, whenever he gets the ball outside of the paint, nobody expects him to take a shot. I think if he could do that, it would elevate his game even higher.
Also, I would like to see him drive to the rim more when he does get the ball outside. His first, second, third and fourth thoughts seems to be to pass the ball, instead of driving hard to the rim.
Hopefully this off-season he'll work on both of these things.

See now this is the kind of take that just doesn't do it.

Rob isn't a 15 footer away from being an MVP/top 5 player in the league. Jokic and Embiid are the two best Big Men in the game. And Rob isn't a jumper away from being on their level.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[Joshyjess]

If Rob can add an outside shot to his arsenal (like 15 feet out), and at least hit an occasional three, he could jump into the "Best Big Man" in the league conversation. As good as he is, whenever he gets the ball outside of the paint, nobody expects him to take a shot. I think if he could do that, it would elevate his game even higher.
Also, I would like to see him drive to the rim more when he does get the ball outside. His first, second, third and fourth thoughts seems to be to pass the ball, instead of driving hard to the rim.
Hopefully this off-season he'll work on both of these things.

See now this is the kind of take that just doesn't do it.

Rob isn't a 15 footer away from being an MVP/top 5 player in the league. Jokic and Embiid are the two best Big Men in the game. And Rob isn't a jumper away from being on their level.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

Rob is as much as a threat around the rim as anybody in the league - on both sides of the ball. If he could develope an outside shot (like the other bigs have), then there's no reason he can't be one of the best bigs in the league.
I'm not saying he's an MVP candidate, but that he can be one of the best bigs. Sure you have guys like Embiid and Jokic who are more than just great bigs - true MVP candidates. I'm not talking about Rob being at that level. But guys like Gobert and Allen are definitely within Rob's reach.

[Parliament10]

If Rob can add an outside shot to his arsenal (like 15 feet out), and at least hit an occasional three, he could jump into the "Best Big Man" in the league conversation. As good as he is, whenever he gets the ball outside of the paint, nobody expects him to take a shot. I think if he could do that, it would elevate his game even higher.
Also, I would like to see him drive to the rim more when he does get the ball outside. His first, second, third and fourth thoughts seems to be to pass the ball, instead of driving hard to the rim.
Hopefully this off-season he'll work on both of these things.

See now this is the kind of take that just doesn't do it.

Rob isn't a 15 footer away from being an MVP/top 5 player in the league. Jokic and Embiid are the two best Big Men in the game. And Rob isn't a jumper away from being on their level.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

Rob is as much as a threat around the rim as anybody in the league - on both sides of the ball. If he could develope an outside shot (like the other bigs have), then there's no reason he can't be one of the best bigs in the league.
I'm not saying he's an MVP candidate, but that he can be one of the best bigs. Sure you have guys like Embiid and Jokic who are more than just great bigs - true MVP candidates. I'm not talking about Rob being at that level. But guys like Gobert and Allen are definitely within Rob's reach.

Word is, that Rob Williams practices 100 x 3-pt shots a day.
It's not currently his forte, but it would be fantastic if he developed any type of shot, away from the basket.

[bisme37]

The Ringer
NBA Third-Quarter Awards

Defensive Player of the Quarter: Robert Williams III, Celtics

Way back in the long ago of June 2018, my former Ringer colleagues Haley O’Shaughnessy and Paolo Uggetti identified Williams as both a winner and a loser of the 2018 NBA draft. The glass-half-empty view: Had he declared in 2017 rather than returning to Texas A&M for a sophomore season when he got lost in the shuffle behind collegiate stars Deandre Ayton, Marvin Bagley III, and Jaren Jackson Jr., he might have been a lottery pick rather than falling all the way to no. 27. The sunnier side of the street: Landing with a Boston team coming off back-to-back Eastern Conference finals would put him in prime position to develop his skills and find a productive role at the pro level.

“If Williams ever reaches his full potential,” they wrote, “he’ll be the athletic big the Celtics have been looking for.”

Well, four seasons later, it’s safe to say that Williams has become precisely what Boston’s brain trust was hoping for—a lob-demolishing, rim-protecting, quick-twitch interior menace capable of anchoring an elite defense.

Boston surged up the defensive rankings in Q3, allowing a microscopic 99.2 points-per-100 outside of garbage time, according to Cleaning the Glass. That was the league’s stingiest defense in that span, and to a ludicrous degree; the gap between the Celtics and second-place Thunder was larger than the gap between OKC and no. 22 San Antonio.

There’s plenty of credit to go around for that: to head coach Ime Udoka for persevering through a rocky start and getting his players to buy in to what he was asking them do to; to star wings Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown for weathering yet another “split them up?” storm and recommitting to the task at hand; to Marcus Smart for continuing to serve as one of the NBA’s most fearsome and versatile point-of-attack defenders. At the heart of it all, though, has been Williams—a 6-foot-9, 237-pound “DO NOT ENTER” sign emboldening his perimeter-defending teammates to play tighter and tougher on their men and rudely rejecting the advances of any opponents who do manage to make their way to the basket.

Only Jakob Poeltl contested more shots per game in Q3 than Williams, who had more combined blocks and steals in that span (45) than he did combined fouls and turnovers (42). Opponents shot just 42.3 percent against Williams at the rim in Q3, according to Second Spectrum’s tracking, the stingiest mark of any player to defend at least 25 up-close attempts. He was a monster away from the rim, too, holding his assignments to an anemic 36.4 percent shooting overall in Q3, nearly 11 points below their season average—the largest differential in the league among 254 players who made at least 10 appearances in the quarter.

The quickness with which Williams covers ground, combined with his 7-foot-6 wingspan, means he’s almost never out of a play. His ability to impact defensive possessions in a number of ways—as a drop defender playing cat-and-mouse in the pick-and-roll, as a last-line-of-defense rim protector, as a nimble switch defender, and as the sort of lurking nightmare who convinces drivers to keep dribbling in search of a better look, lest he spike their **** into orbit—fuels what has become an absolute meat-grinder of a defense in Boston.

https://www.theringer.com/2022/2/22/22944858/nba-third-quarter-awards-suns-demar-derozan

[ryan in Maine]

Can we talk about how dope Rob's hair looks when he goes airborne?

[Larry_Russell]

I love Robs progress, but still REALLY need to see a reliable jumper.

In late game, it does not help having him standing near the key when one of the Jays are trying to get inside and score a crucial bucket.

If, in a perfect world, he had range out to the 3pt line, he not only would be a legit lob threat, but can also space the floor when the game calls for it.

Right now, not being able to do that CAN be exploited by opposing teams.

HE gets that right and he is arguably a top 4-5 Center in the NBA

1) Jokic
2) Embiid
3) KAT
4) Rob with a jumper
5) Gobert
6) BAM or Vooch or Ayton
7) BAm or Vooch or Ayton
8) Bam or VOoch or Ayton

HAving a top 5 Center would be HUUUUUGE

WOuld have a top 5 SF,
a top 5 Center,
an arguable top 5 SG

And ideally some EXCELLENT role players around those guys



I really hope that in the offseason the team has Rob working almost exclusively with a shooting coach. He has great form on his FTs, no reason he cannot take and make a couple shots a game out to the 3pt line by next season.

[zoyathedestroya]

Read on Twitter

[Shak_Celts]

When Rob does pressers, he's more mature. He just seems like he's got a fire he never had. It's almost like he believes in himself now. probably looks in the mirror and says, "them (word) can't see me!!" I would if I were him! It takes a lot of confidence to be great in this league and Rob's at the age where it starts to really click for bigs, I hope he really grasps every opportunity he has to be one of the best. Scary for the league if he reaches his ceiling!

I CAN'T WAIT FOR WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR HIM AND US!! SPECIAL!!

[31to6]

so basically thinking you've gotten past RWilliams = death
DON'T TRY THAT ****!
don't know if a few of you will get this reference, but it's like "oh I'm past him -- SHIA SURPRISE"

Spoiler:

hell why not

Watch on YouTube

[zoyathedestroya]

Watch on YouTube

[thomas1897]

Danny Ainge drafted Rob Williams and he did a good job. I did not like his history of injuries especially Danny Ainge knew his legs were diagnosis with medical issues However, he has shown the critics including myself; he can play and get better. Brad Stevens has demonstrated support for his progress and provided an insurance policy called Daniel Theis.

[Hal14]

My concern with Rob Williams is what happens when Horford leaves. It seems that part of the EXPLOSION in production for RWilliams on the defensive end in particular is the presence of Horford to defend bigs. BOS has been putting Williams on wings to start possessions which has freed him up to be a weakside shot blocker and passing lane disruptor.

Horford isn't what he once was, but he still brings a very unique combination of skills. Not too many big men can adequately:

1) defend the rim
2) switch onto the perimeter vs the P&R
3) space the floor

Al isn't as mobile as he once was and he's having a bad shooting year overall, but he's still respectable in all 3 of those areas. Finding a guy who can do all 3 will be tough. Even if you find a guy who can do #1 and #2, if he can't do #3 then it might not be an offensively viable 2-big lineup like we have now. And if you sacrifice #1 or #2, you have to change philosophically how we use RWIlliams on defense and/or the switch everything scheme we use overall.

Obviously RWIlliams is a good player who I expect to succeed regardless, but getting a Horford replacement to me is vital for unlocking Williams' ultimate potential.

Last season, with horford in oklahoma city instead of boston, Time lord was top 10 in the entire NBA in the following categories:

Offensive rating
Defensive rating
TS%
FG%
Blocks %
Rebounding %
Win Shares Per 48 Minutes
PER
BPM

[hugepatsfan]

My concern with Rob Williams is what happens when Horford leaves. It seems that part of the EXPLOSION in production for RWilliams on the defensive end in particular is the presence of Horford to defend bigs. BOS has been putting Williams on wings to start possessions which has freed him up to be a weakside shot blocker and passing lane disruptor.

Horford isn't what he once was, but he still brings a very unique combination of skills. Not too many big men can adequately:

1) defend the rim
2) switch onto the perimeter vs the P&R
3) space the floor

Al isn't as mobile as he once was and he's having a bad shooting year overall, but he's still respectable in all 3 of those areas. Finding a guy who can do all 3 will be tough. Even if you find a guy who can do #1 and #2, if he can't do #3 then it might not be an offensively viable 2-big lineup like we have now. And if you sacrifice #1 or #2, you have to change philosophically how we use RWIlliams on defense and/or the switch everything scheme we use overall.

Obviously RWIlliams is a good player who I expect to succeed regardless, but getting a Horford replacement to me is vital for unlocking Williams' ultimate potential.

Last season, with horford in oklahoma city instead of boston, Time lord was top 10 in the entire NBA in the following categories:

Offensive rating
Defensive rating
TS%
FG%
Blocks %
Rebounding %
Win Shares Per 48 Minutes
PER
BPM

Numbers are nice, but he also played less minutes last year and spent a lot of the year playing off the bench and not in closing lineups against other team's best players. There's been a clear and obvious elevation in his play this year. Like I said in my last post:

"Obviously RWIlliams is a good player who I expect to succeed regardless, but getting a Horford replacement to me is vital for unlocking Williams' ultimate potential."

Horford's presence has allowed them to use RWilliams in a role that seems to have maximized his abilities. I'm not worried that RWilliams isn't just a great player who can succeed no matter who's around him. But to maximize his potential I think recreating the dynamic we have going now would be best. As possible of course.