Celtics center Robert Williams expected to play Game 4 against Miami

Boston Celtics center Robert Williams is expected to play Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat on Monday, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Williams previously sat out Game 3 on Saturday with left knee soreness after playing in the first two contests of the series.

The Celtics center had surgery to repair a torn meniscus near the end of March that caused him to miss nearly a month, including the first two games of the postseason. He eventually returned for Game 3 of a first round series against the Brooklyn Nets before suffering a setback and missing the final four games of a second round series against Milwaukee.

Williams had his best performance of the playoffs in Game 1 against the Heat, scoring 18 points to go along with nine rebounds and two blocks. He’ll hope for a similar performance Monday evening, but will likely have to do so in limited playing time; he has yet to surpass 30 minutes thus far in the playoffs.

Robert Williams will likely return to the starting lineup in Game 4 after Daniel Theis filled in his spot on Saturday. Theis played just 11 minutes as Grant Williams saw 39 minutes of action off the bench.

Robert Williams being available for Boston is a big boost to their defensive efforts, as he has emerged as a valuable role player for the Celtics this year. Williams started 61 games during the regular season and averaged just under 30 minutes per game on the court — nearly averaging a double-double with 10 points and 9.6 rebounds per game to go along with 2.2 blocks.

The Heat currently lead the series 2-1 after coming away with a victory Saturday. However, with Williams coming back for Game 4, the Celtics will aim to even the series once more before heading back to Miami for Game 5.