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Celtics' Robert Williams exits loss with tightness in hamstring

BOSTON -- Boston Celtics center Robert Williams III left Friday night's 115-105 loss to the Brooklyn Nets at TD Garden and did not return because of left hamstring tightness.

Williams immediately grabbed his hamstring upon landing after he attempted to block a shot by Nets forward Cam Johnson with 6 minutes, 11 seconds to go in the third. He was taken out of the game during the ensuing timeout and was ruled out for the rest of the night a short time later.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said after the game that he hadn't seen Williams and didn't have an update on his status.

Williams, 25, has played in 28 games this season after missing the opening two months following knee surgery shortly before the start of training camp. The fifth-year forward is averaging 8.4 points and 8.6 rebounds per game while shooting a career-high 75 percent from the field

His absence to start the season was part of why Boston's expected starting lineup this season -- Williams, Al Horford, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart -- entered Friday's game having played only a combined 68 minutes together across nine games this season.