The Celtics have been dealt a serious blow as they will be without starting center Robert Williams for an indefinite period of time.
Williams went down with an apparent knee injury in a Celtics win over the Timberwolves on Sunday and was limited to 24 minutes of action.
Here's what we know about Williams' injury so far:
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What is Robert Williams' injury?
According to reports from The Athletic's Shams Charania and ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, an MRI revealed a meniscus tear in Williams' left knee.
ESPN Sources: Celtics C Robert Williams has suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee and will minimally miss several weeks. Further evaluation today will help provide a timetable. Boston moved into first-place Sunday, and Williams has been immense part of NBA’s best defense.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 28, 2022
Before the injury was diagnosed, Celtics head coach Ime Udoka said that Williams had "quite a bit of pain on the lateral side" of his knee.
A Sporting News injury analysis of a similar injury sustained by Joel Embiid in the 2021 NBA Playoffs states that "the lateral meniscus is the flexible, c-shaped cartilage in the lateral part of the knee that cushions and nourishes the knee. It can tear in different ways depending on the type of injury and the age of the athlete. In a young athlete, a large portion of the meniscus with good blood supply can tear."
Williams, 24, is averaging 10.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks over 61 games this season.
What's the recovery time for a torn meniscus?
Per Wojnarowski, Williams underwent successful surgery on Wednesday, March 30. He is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks, keeping the door open for a return at some point during the 2022 NBA Playoffs, which begin on Saturday, April 16.
ESPN Sources: After undergoing surgery for a torn meniscus in his left knee this morning, Boston Celtics C Robert Williams is expected to return within 4-to-6 weeks – a timetable that could land him back in the lineup as soon as the second-round of Eastern Conference playoffs.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 30, 2022
As meniscal tears are relatively common, there are a few recent examples to cite.
Bulls guard Lonzo Ball, who suffered a torn meniscus in mid-January was given a recovery timeline of six-to-eight weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery. After encountering a setback, he has yet to return to action.
In the 2021 NBA Playoffs, Embiid played through the injury after missing one game.
Celtics schedule 2021-22
The news of Williams' injury came as the Celtics had just seven games remaining in the regular season. They played their first game without Williams on March 28 when they face the Raptors in Toronto.
Boston then returns home for three straight games, hosting the Heat, Pacers and Wizards before wrapping up the season with a three-game road trip.
The 2022 NBA Playoffs begin on Saturday, April 16, just under three weeks after the diagnosis of Williams' injury.
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET)/Result |
| March 28 | at Raptors | L, 115-112 (OT) |
| March 30 | vs. Heat | 7:30 p.m. |
| April 1 | vs. Pacers | 7:30 p.m. |
| April 3 | vs. Wizards | 1 p.m. |
| April 6 | at Bulls | 8 p.m. |
| April 7 | at Bucks | 7:30 p.m. |
| April 10 | at Grizzlies | TBD |
