Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart and big man Robert Williams both missed Monday's game against the Bulls. Smart sat out with a left knee contusion, while Williams sat as a precaution to manage the knee injury that kept him sidelined for much of the first half of the season. However, a recent and encouraging injury update indicates that Celtics fans might not have to wait any longer for the defensive-minded duo to get back on the floor.
The Celtics had listed both Williams and Smart as questionable for Wednesday night's showdown against the New Orleans Pelicans. However, both have since been ruled out, per NBC Sports Boston reporter Chris Forsberg. Forward Danilo Gallinari (left knee ACL repair) was previously the lone Celtic listed as out.
Williams, 25, was the 27th overall pick back in the 2018 NBA Draft. He's in his fifth year in the league, all as a member of the Celtics. Williams is averaging 7.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.5 steals, and 1.4 blocks across ten appearances since making his season debut around a month ago. A rim-oriented scorer, Williams continues to be one of the most efficient players in the league, as he's converting a whopping 82.9% of his total field goal attempts thus far.
Smart, meanwhile, is 28 years old and in his ninth year as a Celtic. He's averaging 11.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.4 blocks in 2022-23. Smart is enjoying his best season facilitating the ball in his career — his current 7.2 assists average is a personal best. It is the highest average on the Celtics and the ninth-highest in the league among all qualified players.
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