Rob ain’t right

[Silas]

First Hauser, now Timelord. Someone make a Grant Williams thread ASAP!

You didn't see my " Is Grant shrinking?" Thread??

Evidently not 

He's down to 5'3"...

This reminds me of an old movie about a character named, of all people, Grant Williams...

The Incredible Shrinking Man is a 1957 American science fiction film starring Grant Williams as Scott. While relaxing on a boat, Scott is enveloped by a strange fog. Months later, he discovers that he is shrinking. By the time Scott has reached the height of a small boy, his condition becomes known to the public. As Scott shrinks he has a battle with his family cat, which leaves him lost and alone in his basement, where he is now smaller than the average insect.  He eventually shrinks to sub-atomic size.  Crazy movie.

[gouki88]

The fact remains he is not nearly as explosive jumping, and it remains so, notwithstanding that he is playing decently and getting a lot of rebounds. Paul Silas was a great rebounder and couldn't jump over a phone book.  Rob is not nearly as intimating as an interior defender as he was pre-injury.  Look at the tape.

I think he's still plenty intimidating, and dissuades / alters lots of interior shots. I think he's missing playing consistently with Al (and Smart, and Brown, and so on). I don't think he has the freedom to play like he did last season with all these injuries.

[liam]

First Hauser, now Timelord. Someone make a Grant Williams thread ASAP!

You didn't see my " Is Grant shrinking?" Thread??

Evidently not 

He's down to 5'3"...

This reminds me of an old movie about a character named, of all people, Grant Williams...

The Incredible Shrinking Man is a 1957 American science fiction film starring Grant Williams as Scott. While relaxing on a boat, Scott is enveloped by a strange fog. Months later, he discovers that he is shrinking. By the time Scott has reached the height of a small boy, his condition becomes known to the public. As Scott shrinks he has a battle with his family cat, which leaves him lost and alone in his basement, where he is now smaller than the average insect.  He eventually shrinks to sub-atomic size.  Crazy movie.

One of the truly great movies! Great ending. Written by Richard Matheson.

[footey]

I miss this guy.  Haven't seen him this season. 

https://www.facebook.com/nba/videos/robert-williams-iii-best-blocks-of-the-2021-22-season/1741213366222456/?_rdr

[Neurotic Guy]

I miss this guy.  Haven't seen him this season. 

https://www.facebook.com/nba/videos/robert-williams-iii-best-blocks-of-the-2021-22-season/1741213366222456/?_rdr

TP. That was convincing. I still think Rob has been impactful but the leaping montage you shared speaks volumes.

[Celtics4ever]

I think he was told not to kill himself by jumping out of the Gym every time by medical staff.  He is still a great rebounder, and lob threat and also shot blocker.   He can pass and alters shots.   Every once in a while you will see flashes of the old leaping but he has been told to tone it down.   It is good he is in it for the long haul and not for great leaping glory.

[Goldstar88]

I think he was told not to kill himself by jumping out of the Gym every time by medical staff.  He is still a great rebounder, and lob threat and also shot blocker.   He can pass and alters shots.   Every once in a while you will see flashes of the old leaping but he has been told to tone it down.   It is good he is in it for the long haul and not for great leaping glory.

I agree with the above. Also, his rebounding per 36 is actually better this year (13.6) than it was last year (11.7).

[Atzar]

I think he was told not to kill himself by jumping out of the Gym every time by medical staff.  He is still a great rebounder, and lob threat and also shot blocker.   He can pass and alters shots.   Every once in a while you will see flashes of the old leaping but he has been told to tone it down.   It is good he is in it for the long haul and not for great leaping glory.

I think the truth is somewhere in between.

I don't think he's a geriatric shell of himself like OP insists.  I agree that I see flashes of his usual athleticism and bounce, which says to me that it's still in there somewhere. 

On the flipside, I see him flat-footed a lot more often than used to be the case, especially lately.  There are times when he is rooted to the spot on defense, unable to recover and contest on drives and not quite getting there on help rotations.  I suspect that his loss of lateral mobility and recovery speed is more because of the ankle than any permanent loss of athleticism, since it has gotten worse ever since that injury.  Hopefully the all star break sorts out his ankle.  Would love to see him put a run of good health together and get his rhythm back. 

[Neurotic Guy]

His leaping quickness and height (as seen in the video) was elite. So rare. Something less than that can still be impactful but just not to the degree of the highlight examples.

 The one where he leaps to block the 3-point attempt from a distance that it’s hard to imagine getting a block was something he used to do but I haven’t seen this year - though I’ve seen him try.  I find it hard to fathom that he’s making a conscious attempt to jump slower and lower. Maybe in some contexts he’s toning it down but in the flow of competition I think we’d have seen what he is or isn’t capable of at present.  That’s not to say he won’t return to pre-injury/surgery form, but obviously that’s only a guess either way.

[W8ting2McHale]

His leaping quickness and height (as seen in the video) was elite. So rare. Something less than that can still be impactful but just not to the degree of the highlight examples.

 The one where he leaps to block the 3-point attempt from a distance that it’s hard to imagine getting a block was something he used to do but I haven’t seen this year - though I’ve seen him try.  I find it hard to fathom that he’s making a conscious attempt to jump slower and lower. Maybe in some contexts he’s toning it down but in the flow of competition I think we’d have seen what he is or isn’t capable of at present.  That’s not to say he won’t return to pre-injury/surgery form, but obviously that’s only a guess either way.

Sorry my guys (not just you NG, there’s several) but I called recency bias a few games back and I guess I have to do it again?

Rob has blocked a 3 point attempt at least twice since he’s been back.

Here’s one: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-3k8oCMO-Bg&pp=QAFIAQ%3D%3D

Here’s another:https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Fuf74q5wggo

As for lobs, didn’t he have a monster one from Tatum just a few weeks ago? Someone said he looked like he was near the top of the backboard. I remember one against the Knicks that was nice and high. And did y’all really already forget about the bent rim in Denver?

Other than his ankle bothering him I think he’s just picking his spots and that he is not a shadow of his former self. The demise of Timelord has been greatly exaggerated!

[Neurotic Guy]

His leaping quickness and height (as seen in the video) was elite. So rare. Something less than that can still be impactful but just not to the degree of the highlight examples.

 The one where he leaps to block the 3-point attempt from a distance that it’s hard to imagine getting a block was something he used to do but I haven’t seen this year - though I’ve seen him try.  I find it hard to fathom that he’s making a conscious attempt to jump slower and lower. Maybe in some contexts he’s toning it down but in the flow of competition I think we’d have seen what he is or isn’t capable of at present.  That’s not to say he won’t return to pre-injury/surgery form, but obviously that’s only a guess either way.

Sorry my guys (not just you NG, there’s several) but I called recency bias a few games back and I guess I have to do it again?

Rob has blocked a 3 point attempt at least twice since he’s been back.

Here’s one: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-3k8oCMO-Bg&pp=QAFIAQ%3D%3D

Here’s another:https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Fuf74q5wggo

As for lobs, didn’t he have a monster one from Tatum just a few weeks ago? Someone said he looked like he was near the top of the backboard. I remember one against the Knicks that was nice and high. And did y’all really already forget about the bent rim in Denver?

Other than his ankle bothering him I think he’s just picking his spots and that he is not a shadow of his former self. The demise of Timelord has been greatly exaggerated!

Great post. Yeah the second video shows a great block on a 3 and he had a monster block into second row a couple weeks ago (you may be referring to that one). But… the “3” blocks I’m thinking of were leaps from a place you shouldn’t get a block. The one in the video he’s reasonably close to the shooter.  But I hope you’re right.

[Phantom255x]

I'm willing to see how this postseason plays out, but if Timelord is still someone who can't be relied upon this postseason then I really think the team has to consider a decision. Maybe they keep him and just accept he'll have to be load managed every year, but otherwise they could try to "sell high" on him

This is probably a bit unfair to say given he came back from a surgery during the Nets series last year, but in the later rounds of the playoffs as well he was missing a few games here or there due to soreness/management. If that happens this Spring as well, then idk how you feel good about Timelord's long term health going forward. I feel they've already been doing a lot to get him rest this season but we'll see during the postseason.

I do love Rob and hope he stays here for life. But the health (knee) will be a concern with him

[mef730]

I miss this guy.  Haven't seen him this season. 

https://www.facebook.com/nba/videos/robert-williams-iii-best-blocks-of-the-2021-22-season/1741213366222456/?_rdr

TP. That was convincing. I still think Rob has been impactful but the leaping montage you shared speaks volumes.

If we could sit Rob until the playoffs and he came back at 100%, I'd happily stay as the 2nd seed. As a non-doctor, though, I have no idea what the chances of his returning to last year's form are.

Mike

[wdleehi]

I miss this guy.  Haven't seen him this season. 

https://www.facebook.com/nba/videos/robert-williams-iii-best-blocks-of-the-2021-22-season/1741213366222456/?_rdr

TP. That was convincing. I still think Rob has been impactful but the leaping montage you shared speaks volumes.

If we could sit Rob until the playoffs and he came back at 100%, I'd happily stay as the 2nd seed. As a non-doctor, though, I have no idea what the chances of his returning to last year's form are.

Mike

We need this starting team to play together leading up to the playoffs.   They need to get their chemistry back to what it was last year.   

[Phantom255x]

I wonder if he's picking and choosing when to "up" the intensity. I mean he looked like the old Rob in the game against PHI this past weekend, but then there are times when he looks timid or isn't jumping/hustling as much. I also notice that sometimes when a guard is making a drive, usually they'd just throw it up to Rob for a dunk but there are games where they don't seem to do that. I wonder if it's a plan that they don't want Rob to exert himself in most regular season games. Otherwise he could easily get at least 1-2 alley-oops a game with his size/frame.