Grant Williams has been integral to the success of the Boston Celtics over the past couple of years. However, to the surprise of more than a few Boston supports, the 24-year-old was not able to get off the bench on Wednesday. Grant was not nursing an injury, so it was a healthy DNP for him as the Celtics secured a 117-113 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Boston head coach Joe Mazzulla said after the game that “matchups” were the sole reason behind Grant's benching. It is worth noting, however, that this is the first time Grant ended up with a healthy DNP amid averaging 27.3 minutes per contest in 2022-23.
For his part, however, Grant Williams is taking all this in stride. The 6-foot-6 power forward is putting his trust in his coach as Williams places the benefit of his team before his own:
“You can’t have pride in this game, in this sport,” Williams said, via Jay King of The Athletic. “Proud people are the ones who fall. So for me, it’s just a matter of making an adjustment. If coach decides that I’m not necessarily needed, then you have to show him you’re needed in some way or fashion. You have to go back and put the work in, in the gym. Even today, you never know if I’ll play tonight or not, so just approach it with the mentality that if you’re not going to play, work as hard as you can on the court whenever you get a chance. If you are going to play, still do the same and continue to work and just make sure your body’s prepared.
“No matter how grueling a workout I do in the morning, you have to make sure you’re ready not to jeopardize just in case you do go in the game. So for me, it’s not about being proud, it’s no ego. For me, it’s always just been about making sure this team has success and this team wins.”
Said like a true pro. Williams obviously isn't going to let this development affect him in a negative manner. In fact, he's using it as motivation to get even better at his craft. This young man is just 24 years of age and it is clear that his maturity level is beyond his years.
“I’ve been reliable. I’ve been a guy who’s always been out there through injury, through pain, through struggles. I’ve been a person that has always tried to come in with a good mentality, a good attitude and a good approach,” Williams said. “And no matter the chaos, when you’re surrounded, you always try to be that light to bring people back home.
“So that’s kind of how you have to continue to view yourself and not ever get discouraged. And continue to focus on what truly matters and what the mission is. And the mission has always been for us to win a championship. So you can’t let anything dissuade you from that mindset or goal.”
The Celtics are scheduled to play on Friday against the Brooklyn Nets. Knowing Grant Williams, it would not be a huge shock if he ends up with a big game for his team. If coach Mazzulla opts to play him, we wouldn't put it past Williams to come out with a noteworthy bounce-back performance.
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