Williams gets comfortable in first Garden game with C's

Share

BOSTONFor the viewing public, the Boston Celtics' 78-66 win over Miami should have come with a viewers discretion warning.

It was game that was as aesthetically painful to watch as we've seen this season involving the Celtics.

But for ex-Boston College star Sean Williams, it was a night to remember.

It was his first game at the TD Garden, which for this former B.C. standout, created some early moments of anxiety.

He knew it.

So did his coach, Doc Rivers.

"You know he was pressing early," Rivers said.

Said Williams: "You get tired real fast, your legs give out on you real quickeverything kind of shuts down when you get out there. But yeah, I caught my second wind in the second half."

Early in the fourth quarter, he made a lay-up that gave the C's a 56-52 lead, their largest lead of the game at that point. He followed that up with a pair of free throws seconds later, showing a much more aggressive, assertive brand of basketball that was absent in the first half.

And don't think for a minute that Rivers didn't notice the change.

"One thing I did like about Sean down the stretchhe's competitive," Rivers said. "And you can see that. He wasn't going to back down to anything, got some great blocked shots, so that was good to see."

It was the kind of performance that Williams has the ability to deliver. But only time will tell if he'll get a chance to showcase those skills with any kind of consistency in the playoffs.

While Greg Stiemsma has established himself as the Celtics' first big man off the bench, there's a huge void for a No. 2 big. The C's love Ryan Hollins' energy, but he continues to struggle rebounding the ball.

And with Williams, the C's have a 6-foot-10, shot-blocker who like Hollins, is a high-energy kind of player.

With so little time, it's unlikely Williams can play his way into being a part of the team's regular rotation. But he's already shown the ability to contribute, which is a comforting thought in case Rivers has to tap the fourth-year forward.

Williams, like every other Celtic player, wants to play as much as possible.

But he's not about to start politicking for a role in the rotation, especially coming off of a good, but not great game against a Miami Heat team that kept their Big Three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, on the bench.

"I'll let Doc decide that," Williams said when asked about being in the regular rotation. "It's not up to me. I just come here everyday and try to get better at what I do."

Williams added, "I'm just trying to come in here and help these guys reach their goals, getting that 18th ring, that's all I'm focused on."

Contact Us