The Celtics performance against the Raptors was a wonderful Christmas gift. The presents kept coming, however. Brad Stevens provided a stocking stuffer surprise by giving more minutes to Grant Williams as a small-ball center.
Although this positional experiment has been happening throughout the duration of the season, Stevens has been conducting it with more frequency lately. What have the results yielded?
Despite not having favorable measurements (6-6, 6-9.75 wingspan, 240 lbs) for a center, Williams has managed to be a net positive at a rim protector. Stevens gambles that Williams’ fundamentals, intellect, and underrated agility will do more than compensate for his lack of elite wingspan.