The Boston Celtics entered the 2020-21 season expecting to be among the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately for them, that has not happened. A mix of injuries and some disappointing play throughout the year has caused the Celtics to enter the playoffs as the 7-seed, and now, they find themselves heavy underdogs ahead of Sunday night’s Game 4 against the Brooklyn Nets — although thanks to a 50-point outburst from Jayston Tatum, they did manage to win Game 3.
Boston may need an even better performance from Tatum in Game 4 to level the series. According to Celtics coach Brad Stevens, guard Kemba Walker and big man Robert Williams are unlikely to play. Walker is still dealing with a knee injury that he has been playing through all season and supposedly re-aggravated it in Game 3. Williams, meanwhile, is dealing with an ankle sprain he suffered in the first half of Game 3.
Brad Stevens says both Kemba Walker and Robert Williams are unlikely to play tonight.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) May 30, 2021
Brad Stevens says Kemba Walker is “dying to play.” Said he suffered this injury in Game 2, and is in a lot of pain. Says it is probably a combination of Walker’s year-long knee issues and the bone bruise he suffered in Game 2.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) May 30, 2021
Walker struggled in the Celtics’ Game 3 win, so it’s not like he has been playing lights out basketball, but the threat of what he can do is enough to keep the Nets defense honest. Without him, the Celtics will need to rely on other threats to keep Brooklyn’s defense from focusing all of its attention on Tatum — this may need to be one of those games where Marcus Smart gets hot from 3-point range to keep the offense going. Williams has become a player the Celtics have relied on in big situations, and we can expect Tristan Thompson’s role to only increase if Williams can’t go.