Boston Celtics

Robert Williams III #44 of the Boston Celtics reacts during the first half of a game against the Phoenix Suns at TD Garden on December 31, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images)

Speaking with reporters before his team’s pivotal Game 5 matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks, Celtics coach Ime Udoka told reporters center Robert Williams will not play in Game 5 Wednesday night. Williams had originally been listed as questionable for the game.

Williams has been dealing with knee soreness, which is the result of a torn meniscus he suffered in late March. That injury and ensuing surgery held Williams out for the final month of the regular season  as well as the first two games of the team’s first-round playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets. Williams played in the first three games of this conference semifinal series against Milwaukee, but missed Game 4 due to soreness in the knee.

“[Williams] still has some soreness and is going to be overly cautious coming off of surgery until it’s pain free,” Udoka noted. He added that although the swelling in Williams’ knee has gone down, his movement is still restricted due to pain.

Grant Williams filled in in the starting lineup in Game 4, and will likely do so again. He had nine points and four rebounds in 25 minutes in a 116-108 Celtics win that evened the series at 2-2.

Tip-off for Game 5 from TD Garden will be at 7 p.m.. Pregame coverage begins at 6:30 on the 98.5 The Sports Hub Celtics Radio Network.

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