NBA FINALS: CELTICS VS. WARRIORS

June 15, 2022

Robert Williams

Boston Celtics

Practice Day

Q. I was just watching you guys at practice. It looks like you guys are very loose. Especially when Michael Jackson came on. I think I saw Marcus dancing around. How would you gauge the mood of the team as you face the biggest game of your life?

ROBERT WILLIAMS: Purposeful. Just knowing the areas we want to clean up in. Knowing the stuff we want to look at.

Just staying together is the biggest thing. Not separating from each other.

Q. Another question about the legacy of the Celtics. It's obviously a great franchise. You think about all the great players. I don't know if you're into history, but Bill Russell, that name resonates around here. Larry Bird, I could go on and on and on. Do you ever think about you guys being up there in the rafters with the championship and what it means to the history of the team?

ROBERT WILLIAMS: For sure I think about winning a championship, but as far as a legacy goes, I'm just trying to win the next game.

Possession by possession, that's the biggest thing for us right now.

Q. What has Ime been like the last couple of days, gearing up for Game 6, backs against the wall? Is there a message that he has given you guys, or what's his general demeanor been like?

ROBERT WILLIAMS: He has been the same. He addresses problems. No holding back, but he still keeps us together as a team.

We address it. We talk about it in the locker room. We get out how we feel about all the stuff we've been messing up on, but at the end of the day we stay together. That's the biggest thing.

Q. Why has Wiggins hurt you guys so much the last couple of games, and how do you sort of get him back under control tomorrow?

ROBERT WILLIAMS: Good player. He has been playing good, man. We have to put the emphasis on everything we're doing whether it's rebounding, defense, offense. Got to step up the tone.

Leave the court with no regrets.

Q. Footwear, we talked about it throughout the Finals. You switched around different shoes. What do you feel comfortable in?

ROBERT WILLIAMS: The LeBrons for sure. I feel the most comfortable in the LeBrons.

The AIs too, but they slip off my feet a lot, so the coaches ain't feeling it, but the LeBrons.

Q. Follow-up to my question: How do you get the Warriors to play to your tempo? You are a defensive stopper. People have been critical. Going into Game 6, how do you get the Warriors to play to your tempo?

ROBERT WILLIAMS: Just not get caught up in their game. Know our game plan. Don't get bored with what's working. Make the easy reads, man. Just stay together, play our game. Withstand runs is the biggest thing to me with this team.

Q. Rob, everybody is asking very serious questions about strategy and all that stuff. How important is it just to stay loose, have fun, go out there and just say, hey, this is basketball?

ROBERT WILLIAMS: Yeah, that's the biggest thing. It's basketball, man. Obviously, you have to play with a purpose. Obviously with high intensity, better purpose being on the stage that we're on, but we've been doing this our whole life, man. It's basketball, like you said. Just got to step it up and stay together, man.