During his time with the Celtics, two-time All-Star guard Isaiah Thomas played through injuries during the playoffs, and it was costly.
Thomas, who was dealing with hip issues, suited up for Boston in the 2017 postseason even after learning that his sister died in a car accident. He scored 53 points against the Wizards in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, but the Celtics were then eliminated in the subsequent Eastern Conference Finals.
The guard was traded that offseason. After the trade, medical examinations revealed news about Thomas’ health so concerning that the move was nearly voided. He suffered a torn labrum and other injuries to his right hip that were exacerbated by playing through the pain.
He has admitted that he should have sat out the playoffs and that he made his injury worse by playing through it. Thomas, who later required hip surgery, couldn’t help but notice the parallels between his story with Boston and what may be happening to Celtics big man Robert Williams right now.
Heard that before lol https://t.co/oxOEWdvRyT
— Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) June 16, 2022
Williams suffered a torn meniscus at the end of March, and he required a meniscectomy procedure on his left knee.
During a recent conversation with league insider Chris Haynes, Williams said he was told he is not at risk of making the injury any worse (via Yahoo):
“I was really having my knee drained a lot last series,” Williams III confirmed to Yahoo Sports. “I stopped draining it because there was no point, in my opinion. My knee kept filling back up with fluid. So, I’ve kind of learned how to manage it to be able to play.”
The medical staff has ensured him that he is not at further risk of worsening the repaired knee. It’s all a matter of pain tolerance.
Williams has played a massive role for Boston, especially on the defensive end of the floor, during the postseason and in the NBA Finals playing against the Warriors.
Celtics head coach Ime Udoka, meanwhile, has told reporters that they’re monitoring Williams’ situation closely and if he can’t get on the floor, they’ll understand.
Williams’ situation is also different from Thomas’ because the big man has already earned a lucrative contract extension, while Thomas was up for a big payday before the injury troubles. Thomas, though, still a useful cautionary tale for Williams to consider.
