Chris Forsberg sits down with Robert Williams to discuss the Celtics’ mindset heading into the postseason
For the second time in two seasons, the Boston Celtics enter the playoffs as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with NBA Finals aspirations.
So, what will help them get over the hump in 2023 after they fell just short in 2022?
If you ask big man Robert Williams, the key could be a mindset that was borne out of that Finals loss to the Golden State Warriors last June.
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Forsberg: Celtics face five burning questions entering 2023 playoffs
"To be honest, man, I can just see the hunger," Williams said in an exclusive interview with our Chris Forsberg when asked about the biggest difference between this year's Celtics and last year's squad.
"After last year, revenge is more of a factor for us. It's something where you kind of wish you can fast forward to the great ending. But you take every game (at a time), you go through all the steps, and I feel like this is going to rev up."
The Celtics played like a team with vengeance on the mind right out of the gate, winning 20 of their first 25 games. While they hit a few rough patches in December, January and March, they still finished with 57 wins, their most in a season since 2008-09.
Williams admitted last year's Finals loss motivated the C's "all season" -- but in a good way, by convincing each player to set aside their egos for prioritize team success.
"Really confident in this group," Williams said. "I think the key is accountability -- being able to accept criticism and knowing that each person in this locker room and this organization has the best interest (in mind). We all want to win."
First-year head coach Joe Mazzulla has played a key role in reinforcing that accountability. While he's less inclined to call out his players publicly than predecessor Ime Udoka, the 34-year-old has no problem laying down the law behind the scenes.
"He challenges me a lot, which I love," Williams said of Mazzulla. "I love a challenge, and there hasn't been a challenge that I've backed down from. And not only me, he challenges everybody.
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"He goes at all of us, and he doesn't hide it. He'll go at us in the team meeting. But that goes into the accountability role and not being uncomfortable when that does happen down the road. Because it's gonna happen where we bicker at each other, but you've got to be able to accept it."
The Celtics boast a wealth of on-court talent, from the starting five of Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford and Williams to "super subs" like Malcolm Brogdon and Derrick White. But where they can truly separate themselves is with a team-first mindset and a relentless focus throughout the grind of the NBA postseason. If the C's are rowing in the right direction and playing with an edge on a nightly basis, they'll be very hard to beat.
Check out Williams' full interview with Forsberg in the video player above.
