Robert Williams has said all the right things about his role with the Boston Celtics. He doesn't care whether he starts or comes off the bench and just wants to help the team win.
Jayson Tatum is a bit less diplomatic about the situation, however.
The Celtics barely beat the Spurs on Saturday night in San Antonio, holding off a late Spurs rally for a 121-116 win. Williams played a key role in the victory with 10 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, four blocks and two steals, and such was his impact that Tatum didn't want the big man to come off the court in the fourth quarter.
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"It was funny because (Williams) got subbed out, I think it was like in the fourth (quarter), eight-minute mark, maybe seven," Tatum told reporters after the game. "And I asked him, I’m like, 'Yo, are you still on a minute restriction?' And he was like, 'Nah.' And I was like, 'Well all right, get your a-- back in the game."
While Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has downplayed any minute restriction for Williams since his return from offseason knee surgery, the evidence is obvious: Time Lord is averaging just 19.4 minutes through nine games this season while coming off the bench after playing nearly 30 minutes per night as a starter last season.
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Easing Williams back might be the smart move for Boston, which wants its dynamic center to be healthy for the postseason and found plenty of success without him early in the season. But Tatum made it pretty clear he'd like Williams starting alongside him at some point.
"Whether he starts or comes off the bench, just want him on the floor, want him healthy and want to be with him on the floor at the same time as much as possible," Tatum said.
"I’m going to start, so I would like Rob to start. But whatever’s best for the team, he’ll do that. As much as I can be on the court with him as possible, I think makes us better."
It's hard to blame Tatum for his opinion: The Celtics boast a +10.8 net rating in Williams' 175 minutes of floor time this season, second-best on the team behind guard Derrick White. Williams injects instant energy into Boston's lineup and could help the C's get out to faster starts if he's on the court at tip-off.
Then again, the Celtics need to manage his health to make sure he's available for the games that really matter. Striking that time management balance while maximizing Williams' impact will be one of Mazzulla's biggest challenges over the final few months of the regular season.