DALLAS — Grant Williams is gearing up to play against the Boston Celtics on Monday night, marking the first time he's competed against his former team since joining the Dallas Mavericks in part of a three-team sign-and-trade.
“It’s going to be cool seeing all those guys,” Williams said. “I had four great years with them and that organization. They’re playing their tail off right now, so it should be a competitive game.”
Williams played 349 games (including playoffs) as a member of the Celtics, averaging 6.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists. He called being drafted to Boston "a blessing" as it laid the foundation for his NBA career, including multiple Eastern Conference Finals appearances and a run to the NBA Finals.
“It was a blessing,” Williams said. “I was drafted to an organization that treated me with grace and treated me with class. There’s a bunch of phenomenal people in their organization that — not just the players, but the coaching staff.
"Even the new staff that are there in the front office from top to bottom," Williams explained. "I’m thankful for the time that I had there for four years, and it’ll be great to be able to catch up.”
In his first season with the Mavs, Williams hasn't played to the standard he sets for himself, describing his production as being "not good." He's averaged 8.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 38 games. He's confident he will manage to reach a greater level of production as he makes the adjustment to Dallas.
“The difficulty hasn’t been in anything the Mavs have done,” Williams said. “They’ve done a phenomenal job of trying to prepare me and get me accustomed and really feel comfortable as a home.
"For me, it is understanding the defensive system, understanding how to make an impact even when I’m not the shooting the ball the way I was at the start of the year. I’ve done that in the past couple of weeks," Williams explained.
Williams praised Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown for their continued production as foundational stars for the Celtics, while highlighting the value that Derrick White and Kristaps Porzingis has provided as recent additions to the team.
“JB has done a phenomenal job, especially over these past 10 games of really being aggressive and knocking down shots and tough looks. His pivots, his ability to use his athleticism to his advantage (are great). And then they do a great job of playing with pace now.”
“[Derrick] White does a phenomenal job of running up and down the court,” Williams continued. “And Kristaps gives them a different opportunity for post ups and taking advantage of switching and matchups. It’s an interesting thing.”
As the Mavs continue their season, Williams remains committed to giving his best, regardless of health or other challenges. His goal is to help the team succeed and make a positive impact both on and off the court.
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