It's looking more likely that the Boston Celtics will have starting center Robert Williams back in the lineup at some point over the next two games of their first-round playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center.
The Athletic's Shams Charania reported Friday that Williams is "close to a return" and could return for Game 3 and 4. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski took it a step further later Friday by reporting that Williams intends to play Saturday in a limited capacity.
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Williams had surgery for a torn meniscus in late March and he was given a timetable of about four to six weeks. Saturday would be about three-and-a-half weeks since that procedure.
Celtics vs. Nets: Keep an eye on these storylines entering Game 3
Getting a healthy Williams back in the lineup will make an already dominant Celtics defense even more difficult for the Nets to overcome. Williams is an elite shot blocker, an excellent rebounder and is super athletic.
The Celtics lead the series 2-0 after winning both games in Boston.
The Nets might also get a star player back on the court. Ben Simmons is poised to make his Nets debut in Game 4 of the series Monday night in Brooklyn, per Wojnarowski.
Simmons has yet to play in a game for the Nets after they acquired him in a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers back in February.
Note: Games 3-6 of the Brooklyn Nets-Boston Celtics series will be aired exclusively on NBC Sports Boston and can also be streamed on NBCSportsBoston.com or with the MyTeams App, which you can download below.