Jelly Sullynyk Is The Future

http://www.celticsblog.com/2013/11/21/5129106/jared-sullinger-and-kelly-olynyk-are-the-future-of-the-celtics



Jared Sullinger and Kelly Olynyk are the future of the Celtics
By Jeff Clark  @celticsblog on Nov 21 2013, 6:19a 39



Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
The duo got their first start together and showed some very positive signs.



It was only a matter of time before Brad Stevens started Jared Sullinger and Kelly Olynyk together.  The fact that he felt comfortable enough doing it against the San Antonio Spurs is saying something as well.  Other coaches might have relied more heavily on their veterans in such a situation.

But when you've got talented young players that need to be developed, situations like this can go a long way toward giving them confidence and scooting up that learning curve.  They were coming off a dreadful wire-to-wire blowout loss and it must have felt good just to get on the court again and wash some of the taste of that game out of their mouths.

Sully and Kelly stepped up and showed us a nice sneak peak into the future.



Sullinger, a second-year forward matched up on Tim Duncan, registered team highs with 19 points and 17 rebounds over 31 minutes, 24 seconds of floor time in Wednesday's 104-93 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Rookie Olynyk, still learning to play at the center position, chipped in eight points, eight rebounds and three assists over 37:29. As Stevens told reporters in San Antonio after the game, "The team that played tonight could be a real fun group to build with. That's what you take from here."

Picked in consecutive years as first rounders, it is only natural to think of them as part of the future.  Sullinger slipped down to the 21st pick in the draft but would have been a high lottery pick if not for his back issues that are hopefully (pun intended) behind him.  Olynyk was technically a lottery pick (via draft night trade) and is one of the most offensively ready rookies in the league.  (I'm going to give Danny credit for finding Vitor Faverani as a replacement for the wasted pick on Fab Melo.)

Avery Bradley and Jeff Green both have the potential to be excellent players for the Celtics for a long time and on the flipside any or all of these young players could be traded at any point in the next few years.  But Sullinger and Olynyk both seem to be the foundation being laid down around Rajon Rondo's feet.

Sullinger has shown he can be featured in the offense but he's also just so good at making plays even when they aren't called for him.  He grabs rebounds and loose balls with keen court awareness and smart boxing out. He finds seems in the defense even among the long athletes that he was supposed to have trouble getting his shot off against.

Olynyk has struggled with his shooting thus far, but obviously the coach must see something he likes in the kid.  He's averaging 23 minutes a game and just played 37 minutes against the Spurs (second most on the team).  Stevens has said before that he's valuable on the court because he's so smart and sees the court so well.

That's a common theme with both guys, their basketball IQ.  Which makes me think that Rajon Rondo is going to really love playing with them once he returns from his injury.  Smart players, smart coach, ...seems like a smart plan.

I'm looking forward to watching these guys grow and develop as Celtics.



bob


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The previous article was launched using this ESPN article by Forsberg:


http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4708506/glimpse-of-future-sullinger-olynyk-combo


Glimpse of future: Sullinger, Olynyk combo
November, 21, 2013
NOV 21 12:15 AM ET
By Chris Forsberg | ESPNBoston.com

The Boston Celtics gave us a glimpse of the future on Wednesday night.


D. Clarke Evans/NBAE/Getty
Jared Sullinger puts up a shot over Tim Duncan on Wednesday night.


Coming off Boston's most uninspired performance of the season, coach Brad Stevens inserted both Jared Sullinger and Kelly Olynyk into the team's starting lineup at the big-man positions. After encouraging early returns from preseason play, it seemed like only a matter of time before the duo got a chance to assert themselves as the team's frontcourt of the future. That opportunity may have come a little earlier than most expected, and maybe before the duo is completely ready, but as Stevens evaluates the talent on his roster and begins to identify the building blocks around which the team will be built moving forward, it's clear that Sullinger and Olynyk factor heavily into Boston's future plans.

Sullinger, a second-year forward matched up on Tim Duncan, registered team highs with 19 points and 17 rebounds over 31 minutes, 24 seconds of floor time in Wednesday's 104-93 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Rookie Olynyk, still learning to play at the center position, chipped in eight points, eight rebounds and three assists over 37:29.

As Stevens told reporters in San Antonio after the game, "The team that played tonight could be a real fun group to build with. That's what you take from here."

Stevens had to like the effort and competitiveness from his entire team, one night after getting absolutely trampled by the Houston Rockets. And it's hard to ignore the positives that occur with Sullinger and Olynyk on the floor together.

In 121 minutes of floor time, the Sullinger/Olynyk combo is plus-6 (not bad considering Boston has been outscored by 74 points overall this season). The advanced stats on the pairing are not particularly glossy, including a defensive rating of 104.1 (but that's only 1.5 points higher than Boston's season average). Boston's offensive rating with the pair (100.3) is a respectable 4.3 points better than the season average, and Boston rebounds at a rate that would put it among the league leaders in defensive and total rebounding percentages with that combo on the court. Maybe the most encouraging sign is that Boston's pace -- middle of the pack for the season (96.86 possessions per 48 minutes) -- leaps to 102.33 with Olynyk and Sullinger together. That would be tops in the league if maintained.

Sullinger has been nothing short of spectacular. The second-year forward has emerged as Boston's most consistent player despite enduring some ups and downs of his own while working his way back from offseason back surgery and still finding his wind. Olynyk has encountered typical rookie hurdles -- his shots aren't falling consistently, he's getting whistled for questionable fouls and his defense needs improving -- but the potential is obvious.

And while it's unclear how long Stevens will ride the Sullinger/Olynyk combo, these longer stretches together as starters will only help them develop individually and as a group. During Wednesday's game, the Sullinger/Olynyk two-man lineup was plus-8 in 26 minutes of floor time together. Boston's offensive rating (107) was off the charts when they were together (and a defensive rating of 95.8 wasn't too shabby, either).

Now imagine when Sullinger has his wind back completely (lumbar disc surgery in February left him immobile for months) or Olynyk's shots start falling (he's shooting only 39 percent from the floor and 18.2 percent beyond the 3-point arc). The rookie is too good for those struggles to stick around, and being thrust into a larger role should help bring him along defensively.

It's an enticing future with the Sullinger/Olynyk combo and we got a sneak peek on Wednesday.



bob
MY NOTE:  I've said that Kelly should sit and watch film of McHale and Bird until his brains fall out (ala Malcolm McDowell's character was forced to do in "A Clockwork Orange").  I think Sully should do the same with Tim Duncan.  They have very similar games.  Both are extremely sound fundamentally (The Big Fundamental, obviously, has that locked down).  Both are slightly undersized for their position but know how to make it work.  Both have nice mid-range games, but know how to carve out space for themselves underneath. Both have fantastic footwork.  Tim Duncan's high school coach should be bronzed (ok, maybe an effigy).  What he did for Duncan by teaching him proper footwork (which was no doubt extremely tedious) is the difference between a good or maybe even great player, and a 1st round lock for the HOF and one of the top players at his position in history.  I could spend an entire game just watching Duncan's feet and how he uses them to get his man exactly where he wants him.



bob


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Bob,

If Kelly had Malcolm Mcdowell's character's aggressiveness, he could be all-star material. He could also sit out most of the season based on collecting 100+ technical fouls a year.

Sam

Kelly strikes me as the type of player than can become dangerous but not dominant.

When I watch Sullinger, I'm often impressed by his interior post play. Once he polishes his game more, he can be a top PF.



KJ