Does anyone else in the league control as much space as Robert Williams III? I am not just talking about his vertical dominance as Boston's "Sky Lord". His quickness afoot serves him well in covering anything occurring horizontally past the perimeter - all the way to the hoop itself.
In last night's defeat of the Atlanta Hawks, Rob provided 13 points, 15 boards, three assists, two steals and two blocks. Opponents are used to getting their shots blocked by the superbly-athletic center/forward wherever they are on the court.
And his 15 rebounds don't reflect the number of caroms he taps to his teammates - nor do the two blocks indicate how many shots he prevents simply by his presence in the vacinity of any opponent. Rob affects so much out there on the court that never shows up in the stats.
Williams III uses his athleticism to the fullest, but he seems to have a bit of trouble keeping control of the ball in heavy traffic. It may be beneficial for him to strengthen his upper body in the off-season, and following Kevin McHale's practice of keeping the ball high above his head may be a good idea.
Joe Mazzulla clearly sees Rob's value, keeping him on the floor in the fourth quarter until pulling him with less than one minute to play in the game. The Boston Celtics are a super-skilled group, but no one else on the team suppliues what Rob Williams brings almost every game.
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