SAN ANTONIO -- After the biggest of his several big dunks against the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, an alley-oop from Javonte Green in the second half, Robert Williams flexed his long arms and walked into the basket stanchion -- staring straight ahead as if he had something to say to the hoop. He stood there for a minute by himself, seemingly examining the padding.

What did he say?

“Like, ‘ahh,’” Williams said, imitating a scream (without the volume), then he repeated it a little longer. “'Ahhhhhhhh.'”

Fair enough. Leaping that high might leave anyone a little speechless.

Rob Williams...what a game, what a play@jetblue Play of the Game 👇 pic.twitter.com/GRwn1128sb — Boston Celtics (@celtics) November 10, 2019

Williams played an important role in Boston’s 135-115 win over the Spurs, tallying 11 points and seven rebounds while swatting away a career-high six blocked shots. For a Celtics team with major questions regarding its big rotation, Williams’ progress -- in addition to the defensive prowess of Daniel Theis -- has been very encouraging.

“He’s going to get some points to go down, but he was really running,” Brad Stevens said. “He’s a great shot blocker, and where I think he’s been at his best this year is rebounding over the top. He’s still improving in pick-and-roll and different defensive coverages. But offensively, he has an ability to pass it and he’s a threat at the rim. That’s what we need him and Theis to be, because they’re not high-volume jump shooters.”

Williams’ skill set was never a question. Perhaps the bounciest athlete on a team that includes Jaylen Brown and Javonte Green, Williams’ long arms have sent a lot of shots packing this season, including several that were pretty obviously goaltending.

The goaltending calls don’t bother his teammates.

“We’ll take it every time. They’re debatable," Marcus Smart said (as an aside, most really aren’t debatable). “We don’t think they’re goaltending, some of them. Not all of them though. That’s what he brings to the table.”

While Williams isn’t going to replace Al Horford, he has exhibited a lot of useful attributes for the Celtics. This season is something of a red-shirt rookie year -- the No. 27 pick in 2018, he spent much of last season with the Maine Red Claws, and he played just 283 minutes for the Celtics in 32 appearances.

But after early slip-ups in his career that initially defined his narrative, Williams kept his head down and continued working. Throughout last season, Celtics staffers and members of the front office were quietly encouraged by his attitude and progress.

Now, in significantly more consistent minutes, the results are beginning to show themselves.

“Rob is looking great,” Jaylen Brown said. “This is the best I’ve seen Rob in terms of on the court. We’ve seen him in practice working and working and working, and now we get to see it on display. But Rob can be really big for us if he stays locked in, continues to stop the ball, be long and roll like he’s rolling, the sky’s the limit for him. He’s just got to continue to stay focused, and we’re going to ride with him. We’ve got his back.”

Williams still has a ways to go. He still jumps at most pump fakes, which gets him in foul trouble, and his defensive positioning could still improve significantly. But considering his age and experience -- and especially considering how spring-loaded with potential he remains -- there’s plenty of reason for optimism, and Williams appreciates how his teammates have lifted him up.

“I feel a great thing we’re doing this year is instilling confidence in each other,” he said.

Still, he isn’t getting ahead of himself. Williams was asked about Boston’s 3-0 road trip.

“We’ve got hella games left," he said. "Hella games left. It’s a great road-trip win, all three of them, but we’ve got hella games left.”