In a devastating blow to the Boston Celtics’ already thinning frontcourt, rookie center Amari Williams has been sidelined with a hairline fracture in his right hand, forcing him to miss at least one game. The 2025 second-round draft pick, currently on a two-way contract, was officially ruled out for Thursday’s crucial road matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The injury woes don’t stop there for Boston. Veteran big man Chris Boucher is out due to illness, while fellow two-way player and wing Ron Harper Jr. is nursing a right knee sprain. Adding to the nightmare, superstar Jayson Tatum remains on the mend from an Achilles injury, leaving the Celtics scrambling to patch together a depleted roster.
Williams, a promising product out of Kentucky, had just begun carving out a role in the NBA. He earned his first significant playing time when stepping in for injured starter Neemias Queta during a November 26 victory over the Detroit Pistons, where he logged an impressive 15 minutes. Four days later, in a hard-fought win against the Cleveland Cavaliers—another game Queta missed with an ankle sprain—Williams contributed six minutes and made a game-saving defensive play, contesting Evan Mobley’s last-second shot attempt that could have sent the game to overtime.
With Queta back in the lineup, Williams’ opportunities dwindled, though he remained active and dressed for the Celtics’ past four contests. Details on exactly when the fracture occurred remain murky, as does the full extent of its severity. Notably, both Williams and Harper were spotted on the court during Wednesday’s practice session when media access was granted.
This latest setback exacerbates Boston’s glaring lack of size up front. Williams and Queta stand as the team’s only true 7-footers, and without Williams, the Celtics are left vulnerable in the paint. Head coach Joe Mazzulla has increasingly turned to small-ball strategies, often sliding 6-foot-8 wing Josh Minott into the center spot during Queta’s rests—a tactic that’s yielded mixed results but highlights the roster’s dire straits.
Other frontcourt options have seen limited action lately. Luka Garza, who served as Queta’s main backup early in the season, has been relegated to garbage-time minutes over the last five games. Xavier Tillman, despite a standout start against Cleveland where he posted nine points, six rebounds, three steals, and a block in 30 minutes, has mostly been confined to mop-up duty. Boucher hasn’t touched the floor since November 23.
Guard Payton Pritchard addressed the situation candidly after Wednesday’s practice: “We’re going to have to play small ball. We’re not the biggest team. I think Neemi’s our only 7-footer, besides Amari. So we’re going to have to go small ball and learn how to play. But it’s been effective.”
As the Celtics gear up for a tough showdown with the Bucks, this injury curse threatens to derail their momentum. Fans are left wondering: How much more can Boston’s frontcourt endure before it completely crumbles?