Celtics to start Robert Williams III, bring Derrick White off bench in Game 6 vs. 76ers, per report
With their season on the line on Thursday, the Boston Celtics are returning to the starting five that got them to the NBA Finals last season, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Jared Weiss. Robert Williams III, who has averaged 18.1 minutes in their second-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers, will replace Derrick White in the starting lineup in Game 6.
This is a return to the double-big look that Boston has deemphasized this season. More importantly, it is a way to make Williams a factor in the series. Defensively, the Celtics like to use Williams as a roamer — rather than matching him up with a fellow big man, they typically have him guard the least threatening perimeter player on the court. When Williams is “guarding” someone who shoots 3s poorly, reluctantly or slowly, he spends most of his time in the paint, where he can deter drives and block shots. The Sixers know this, and have adjusted their rotation in order to stop Williams from being able to play his preferred style.
Doc Rivers’ coaching staff has rarely used P.J. Tucker while Williams has been on the court. In Game 4 of the series, Philadelphia removed Jalen McDaniels from the rotation entirely, eliminating another hiding spot. This has meant that, when Williams has been on the court, he has had to defend either Joel Embiid — not a favorable matchup — or reserve big man Paul Reed, rather than doing his normal thing.
This lineup change is best understood as a response to the game the Sixers have been playing with their rotation, rather than some sort of philosophical shift toward size and away from 3-point shooting. This allows Williams to roam off of Tucker and do what he does best … unless Philadelphia decides to counter by taking Tucker out of the starting lineup.
The downside for Boston is that it will be starting four shooters instead of five, but that can be mitigated by leaning into Williams’ as a screener and a high-post hub. Expect the Celtics to play 5-out offense with Williams on the floor, rather than simply stationing him in the dunker spot and allowing Embiid to camp out around the basket.
