Celtics Rumors: Robert Williams Likely to Return Within 4-6 Weeks After Knee Surgery

Boston Celtics center Robert Williams III is reportedly expected to return within four-to-six weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a torn left meniscus on Wednesday, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The timeline puts him on track to return as soon as the second round of the playoffs if the Celtics advance.

Williams suffered the injury during Sunday's home win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, costing him at least the final seven games of the regular season and the start of the postseason.

After six straight wins, with Williams in the lineup for five of them, Boston suffered a 115-112 road loss to the Toronto Raptors on Monday with the center unavailable. 

Daniel Theis started at center and finished a team-low minus-11 on the court. 

The team will need more from Theis and Al Horford, who is set to return Wednesday after missing two games because of personal reasons. Luke Kornet could also have a significant role until Boston returns to full strength.

Williams has been one of the most efficient players in the NBA this season, ranking sixth in the league with 9.9 win shares, per Basketball Reference.

The fourth-year player has averaged 10.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks through 61 games, shooting 73.6 percent from the field. He has been an anchor for a team that ranks first in the NBA in defensive efficiency (105.9 points allowed per 100 possessions). 

Williams' injury is a setback for Boston, although his recovery timeline is encouraging. The Celtics sit in third place in the Eastern Conference with a 47-29 record and are in good position to at least get a top-four seed. If other key players like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are healthy, the squad could have enough to at least advance to the second round without Williams.

Getting Williams back in early May would then put the Celtics in position to compete for a title.