DALLAS — With the clock winding down in the first half, Grant Williams tried to make a play and get a heave off. But Jayson Tatum wasn’t having any of that, swatting the shot as the buzzer sounded. Tatum had a few words for Williams after the play as he walked off to the Celtics locker room.
“Yeah, I tried to kick that (expletive), I an’t gonna lie,” Tatum said of the play. “I can’t repeat what I said (to him). It was all friendly, competitive nature. But I had to get that one off.”
Monday was the first time the C’s saw their former teammate in Williams, who’s on his second NBA team now with the Mavericks. He wanted a payday and a larger opportunity, so he found that with the Mavs. Of course, Williams still has a good relationship with his former teammates and others. Here’s a look at Tatum and Williams chatting before the game, and it’s all love there.
The Celtics got the better of the Mavericks in a 119-110 win Monday in impressive fashion. The C’s were on the second game of a back-to-back, but they looked like the fresher team as they led for the majority of the game. Tatum poured in 35 points while Jaylen Brown added another 38 in a great scoring effort.
There were at least a few times where Williams was his pesky self, much like with the Celtics. He had a hard foul on Brown where he wrapped him up, preventing him from getting to the lane. Brown didn’t like that too much, which he mentioned postgame.
Brown mentioned ahead of the matchup Williams was due to have an “annoying” game, and that appeared to be the case in some regards. The C’s and Mavs meet up March 1 in Boston, so that’ll be the first time Williams is back at TD Garden since the sign-and-trade.
“I anticipated that coming in; Grant was trying to be Grant,” Brown said. “He made a couple plays, I think it was a little extra. But it’s all love. I know he’s trying to help his team win. He’s been doing that a lot for them this season. That’s kind of how he made a name for himself. I wish him the best.
“As their season continues to go forward, I’m sure they’re going to need a little more of that. I think Grant’s just trying to get his team going, that’s all it is.”
