The Celtics are going to have to work through their struggles without their starting center.
Boston owned the best record in the NBA for the majority of the season until recently. The Celtics have lost three out of their last five games, falling to second place in the Eastern Conference behind the surging Bucks.
During this tough skid, Boston's starting center Robert Williams III suffered a left hamstring injury.
How long will the Celtics be without their defensive anchor? The Sporting News has you covered on the latest updates below.
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What is Robert Williams III's injury?
Williams suffered a left hamstring injury in the third quarter of the Celtics' loss to the Nets on Friday, March 3.
Williams landed awkwardly after a block attempt and left the game immediately. He was then ruled out for the remainder of the game with left hamstring tightness.
Robert Williams is out for the remainder of the game with left hamstring tightness pic.twitter.com/UcWp1swEam
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) March 4, 2023
Williams finished the game with six points, six rebounds and two blocks in 19 minutes.
How long will Robert Williams III be out?
Ahead of the Celtics' game against the Knicks on March 5, head coach Joe Mazzulla said the team won't rush Williams, who will come back when he's ready.
Mazzulla gave a loose timeline, saying Williams could miss the next 7-10 days.
Joe Mazzulla said the Celtics won’t rush Robert Williams but he’ll come back when he’s ready. Could miss the next 7-10 days, per Mazzulla.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) March 5, 2023
Williams missed the first 29 games of the season after receiving an arthroscopic procedure to remove loose bodies and address swelling in his left knee prior to the start of the year.
He has only appeared in 28 of Boston's 65 games to this point, averaging 8.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks.
According to NBA stats, the Celtics own a defensive rating of 106.8 with Williams on the court, which would rank first in the league. When Williams is off the floor, Boston's defensive rating inflates to 111.3, which would rank fourth in the NBA.
Celtics upcoming schedule 2023
Here are Boston's next five games:
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | TV channel |
| March 6 | at Cavaliers | 7 p.m. | — |
| March 8 | vs. Trail Blazers | 7:30 p.m. | — |
| March 11 | at Hawks | 7:30 p.m. | — |
| March 13 | at Rockets | 8 p.m. | — |
| March 15 | at Timberwolves | 8 p.m. | — |
Robert Williams III career stats, highlights
- 7.4 points per game
- 6.9 rebounds per game
- 1.4 assists per game
- 1.6 blocks per game
- 0.7 steals per game
- 0.8 turnovers per game
- 20.5 minutes per game
- 73.2 percent field goal shooting
- 66.0 percent free throw shooting
