Celtics News: Robert Williams III Ruled Out for Game 5 vs. Bucks Due to Knee Injury

Boston Celtics center Robert Williams III will miss Wednesday's Game 5 matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks at TD Garden with left knee soreness, head coach Ime Udoka told reporters.

Williams played in the first three games of the Eastern Conference Semifinals series but has been dealing with soreness since Boston's Game 3 loss in Milwaukee. He returned from a torn meniscus in less than a month during the Celtics' first-round series against the Brooklyn Nets.

The Celtics are deadlocked in a 2-2 tie heading into Wednesday night, as Milwaukee is also dealing with the absence of Khris Middleton (MCL). Whereas the Bucks have been unable to replace Middleton's production, Al Horford has stepped up in a major way on both ends of the floor with Williams out.

Horford is coming off a 30-point, eight-rebound effort in Game 4, leading the Celtics to a comeback from seven points down in the fourth quarter. He's averaged 18.8 points and 11.3 rebounds over the course of the series, numbers that dwarf his regular-season averages (10.2 points, 7.7 rebounds).

It's helpful that Milwaukee does not have much of an inside presence beyond Giannis Antetokounmpo to make Boston pay for Williams' absence in the middle. Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis, the Bucks' primary bigs, are more perimeter-oriented players.

There has been no timetable given for Williams' return.