To begin the season, Grant Williams looked like a much-improved player. Flashing developments in his off-the-dribble game, screening ability, dribble hand-off creation, and having the confidence to go to work in the post.
For a stretch, his decision to bet on himself heading into restricted free agency looked to be paying off, and questions began to surface regarding how much the Boston Celtics would be willing to pay him. Then, everything changed. Williams regressed. Sure, he hasn’t been awful, but the player we saw at the start of the season and the one we saw toward the end were two separate entities, separated by a vast gulf in poise and polish.
Everybody has a slump. The NBA season is long; you clock up thousands of air miles with very little rest and collect bumps, bruises, strains, and tears along the way. There isn’t a player within the Celtics rotation who hasn’t underperformed for a stretch this season; it’s part and parcel of playing in the league.
Yet, it would appear that Williams’ slump has been punished more than you would expect — especially as it’s cost him playing time to begin the postseason.
Last year, Grant Williams played a big role in helping the Celtics make the NBA Finals. This year, he can’t get on the floor against the Hawks.
He started the season flashing a ton of improvement, had a cold spell after the ASB, and now, what? Mazzulla doesn’t trust him?
— Adam Taylor (@AdamTaylorNBA) April 26, 2023
Right now, Sam Hauser has all but replaced the versatile forward in Boston’s playoff rotation. At first, glance, giving Hauser additional playing time against the Hawks makes sense. The sophomore sharpshooter can space the floor, score off the catch or via movement, and has become known for his inadvertent ability to take teams out of their offensive gameplan as they try to hunt him on mismatches.
However, Hauser, while reliable, has not made much of an impact. Yet, there has still been little sign of Grant Williams. Al Horford has been a target of Atlanta’s mismatch hunting, forcing Boston to switch to drop coverage and accept a barrage of mid-range attempts, yet still, there has been little sign of Grant Williams — a versatile forward who can switch, navigate screens, and provide solid help defense.
Instead, Mazzulla has tried minutes with Mike Muscala and Blake Griffin. During those experiments, Williams stayed glued to the bench.
Blake Griffin has been solid for the Celtics this season but…
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