An update on two of the biggest names in the NBA that are currently sidelined with an injury. Should they be expected back soon?
A little more than a quarter through the season, there are many intriguing storylines that have taken shape throughout the league. Two of the more interesting ones revolve around the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conferene and the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference.
Let’s start with the obvious, the Celtics are running through the league with a huge chip on its shoulder after losing in the NBA Finals last season. Boston is head and shoulders the best team in the league and they proved that when they throttled the Phoenix Suns Wednesday night on national television.
Oh, and they’ve managed to jump out to a 21-5 start this year without Robert Williams (who is recovering from offseason knee surgery).
The Grizzlies are almost equally as impressive considering this is a team that man still didn’t believe in last year. Currently, Memphis is 16-9 and is just a half-game out from having the best record in the West. Ja Morant is a clear bonafide superstar if that wasn’t clear enough.
Oh, and the Grizzlies have managed to keep pace in the loaded West without their second-best player, Desmond Bane, who has been out the last month.
The good news for both the Celtics and Grizzlies (or bad news for the rest of the league) is that both Williams and Bane are expected to return soon.
For Williams, the latest musings are that he could return within the next week or two. Bane is a little more out from a return, but the hope is that he will return in 3-4 weeks.
The impact Williams and Bane will have when they return to their respective teams
The return for both Williams and Bane will likely only raise the ceilings for both the Celtics and Grizzlies. For Boston, Williams will likely improve the Celtics’ defense. For as good as they’ve been this season, their defense has suffered a bit. A big part of their step back on that end of the floor likely falls on the injury of Williams.
Bane will only help the Grizzlies continue to hit their stride as a team. This is a young group that is only continuing to improve and the more healthy this team gets, the bigger threat they’re going to be in the West.
It’s early, but you can make an argument that the Celtics and Grizzlies are good bets to meet in the NBA Finals. And the return for both Williams and Bane is only going to strengthen that belief.