Celtics coach Ime Udoka talks health of Marcus Smart, Robert Williams III ahead of 2022 NBA FInals Game 1 vs. Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics are poised to take on one another as they compete for the 2022 NBA Championship, and the two closely-matched ball clubs will need every advantage they can muster in the series ahead to win it.
Health, in particular, looms large for the Celtics, with two starters listed as questionable for Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals on Thursday, with Robert Williams III nursing a bone bruise and Marcus Smart dealing with multiple injuries below the belt. And while longer gaps between games in the finals ought to help Boston’s banged-up players, their availability moving forward was an issue of interest discussed by Celtics head coach Ime Udoka on Tuesday after practice.
“Rob’s alright,” shared Udoka. “He’s good. He felt good; his minutes (in Game 7 of the East finals) were low, he only played 14 in that game.”
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“We tried to keep him in the lower portion if we could,” the Celtics coach continued.
“That’s beneficial for him going forward, but the days off as well. So, he should feel better in general. He’s getting looked at today and will continue to get his treatment and rehab in order to get swelling down and some of the pain, and (to get) mobility back.”
“So, it’s going to be an ongoing thing like I mentioned,” suggested Udoka.
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“He’s day-to-day pretty much through the playoffs, he should feel better with time in between,” he noted. “Especially with these two days off in between games as opposed to playing every other day.
“I think going back to the Milwaukee (Bucks) series, 17 days straight every other day, and so that’s going to take a toll on you coming off of surgery.”
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Smart seems to be progressing in terms of health, according to the Boston coach, though it sounded as if he will also be dealing with at least swelling and discomfort in the short-term future. “Marcus, there’s no concern (about lingering discomfort),” explained Udoka.
“The swelling is what it is, and dissipates as time goes by. And the pain tolerance thing — he can obviously play through a lot, and he did that, and played heavy minutes.”
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With word from The Athletic’s Shams Charania that Warriors guard Gary Payton II “is trending towards” a game-time decision, it’s sounding optimistic on the Celtics side that the team will be in a good position themselves health-wise.
And with all of the corporate knowledge their opponent brings to the table, having everybody as ready as is possible for this finals series could very well be the difference between victory and defeat.
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