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Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart sees that the sky is the limit for center Robert Williams as an all-around defensive talent.
In speaking following the Celtics’ key 113-103 home win against the Charlotte Hornets, Smart touched on what he said to Williams during the game, where he also lauded the fourth-year center’s growing prowess as a defender in the paint.
“I said ‘you look like me out there, you're gonna beat me out for being one of the best defenders out here,'” Smart said. “I'm proud of it. Rob, he's phenomenal in that end. The athleticism that he has to be able to guard one through five at his size is just tremendous.
“We need that. We're going to need Rob every night to be that Rob.”
Williams’ defensive potential was certainly on display in the Celtics’ victory over the Hornets on Wednesday. He finished with 10 points, eight rebounds and recorded a trio of blocked shots over the course of the game. He also showed off his agility in the late stages of the fourth quarter, as he raced over to block P.J. Washington’s late 3-point attempt, which helped to clinch the Celtics a crucial home win.
Williams’ standout play in his fourth season with Boston has not only garnered the acclaim of his teammates, but it has also caught the attention of other teams in the NBA. For one, the Toronto Raptors have been rumored to show interest in acquiring the versatile center ahead of the NBA trade deadline later this month.
The Celtics center signed off on a four-year, $54 million contract extension deal with the team in the offseason. The team’s gamble to extend him has so far paid off, especially as he currently ranks fourth in the NBA in blocks per game with a 2.1 average.
