Celtics big man was vomiting during Game 7

Nov 1, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics center Robert Williams III (44) reacts during the second half against the Chicago Bulls at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

Robert Williams did not play as much as usual in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals for the Boston Celtics, and now we have a good idea why.

Shams Charania reported on Stadium Tuesday that Williams was playing through a stomach virus. According to the reporter, Williams was vomiting throughout the game because of his stomach bug. Charania says the vomiting is the reason Williams was coming in and coming out of the game.

Though he averaged over 20 minutes played per game in each of Boston’s first two series, Williams averaged 19.0 minutes per game against the Heat. He only played 14 minutes in the Game 7 loss.

When he was in the game, Williams was effective and scored 8 points with 6 rebounds on 4/5 shooting.

Williams averaged 8.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game during the regular season. He is a big defensive presence in the middle and averaged 1.4 blocked shots per game.

Though the Celtics won their Game 7 in the conference semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers, they were unable to advance against the Heat despite rallying from down 3-0 to force the deciding game.