Opportunity in the NBA rarely comes with a warning label. And for Amari Williams, Monday night was a reminder that when it shows up, you’d better be ready.

The Celtics’ (29-17) 46th overall pick logged a career-high 25 minutes in Boston’s 102-94 win over Portland (23-24), finishing with 9 points, 7 rebounds, an assist, a steal, and 2 blocks.

With injuries and illness thinning the frontcourt rotation, Williams was asked to do more than he has at any point in his young NBA career - and both his teammates and head coach noticed.

After the game, Payton Pritchard didn’t hesitate to praise the rookie big man’s impact.

“He did great,” Pritchard told the media in the locker room. “His rebounding, boxing out, protecting the rim - you know, we got to use Amari more for his passing ability, because he can really pass. We will have to learn on the fly, but it should be quick. He reads the game really well, so it’ll be fun playing with him.”

That comment cuts to the heart of why Williams remains intriguing to Boston.

The rebounding and rim protection are table stakes for a center trying to survive in Mazzulla’s system. The passing, though, is what separates Williams from being just another depth body. Even in limited minutes, he consistently made the right read, kept the ball moving, and didn’t clog the offense.

Joe Mazzulla, meanwhile, framed Williams’ night through the lens of matchup and functionality - two concepts that matter deeply for a Celtics team built on adaptability.

“Just a good matchup, going for the length that they have on their bigs, [Donovan] Clingan and Rob [Williams III], and then, you know, his ability to screen,” Mazzulla told the media at the postgame podium. “They just do such a good job of the ball pressure, and the pickup points, and so having another guy out there that can create separation for our guards, I thought he did a good job on both ends of the floor.”

That last line matters. Williams wasn’t just surviving out there - he was helping Boston execute what it wanted to do. Against a Portland team that pressured the ball and forced tight windows, Williams’ screening and physical presence gave the Celtics’ guards a little more breathing room.

This is the tightrope Williams is walking as a rookie. Boston didn’t draft him to soak up minutes on a rebuilding roster. They drafted him to develop patiently, mostly out of sight, until moments like this demanded otherwise. With most of his season spent in Maine, nights like Monday are less about numbers and more about trust.

And trust is exactly what Williams began to earn.

As rumors swirl about Boston potentially adding depth at the five spot, Williams’ margin for error remains slim. But performances like this - where his coach highlights his screening, his teammate praises his feel, and the game never feels too fast - are how young players force themselves into future conversations.

For now, it was a step forward.

Not a coronation, not a guarantee, but proof that when the Celtics need him, Amari Williams can answer the call - and that’s how real opportunity starts to turn into something more permanent in green.

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Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.