Celtics happy to feed their bear, Jared Sullinger

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4720909/celtics-happy-to-feed-this-bear



Celtics happy to feed their bear, Jared Sullinger
14h


Chris Forsberg, ESPN Staff Writer




BOSTON -- The wounded bear needed a minute to collect himself, so as Isaiah Thomas was finishing a layup at the other end of the floor, a smiling Jared Sullinger laid on his stomach, paws extended, and smiled.

Sullinger had tweaked his back a few plays earlier and signaled to the Boston Celtics bench that he needed to come out. Play continued and all Sullinger did before the next whistle was make consecutive 3-pointers, block a shot, go to the floor to collect a rebound and deliver a highlight-worthy outlet pass from the seat of his pants before the Washington Wizards scrambled for a timeout.

It was the outlet pass that will serve as the defining highlight from Boston's inspired 118-98 triumph that snapped a three-game losing streak. After getting a piece of a Bradley Beal jumper that came up well short of the rim, Sullinger and his sore back dove on the floor to collect the loose ball before rolling to a seated position, from which he was able to spot Thomas racing up the court.

Using his momentum, Sullinger threw a two-handed, 65-foot dart that caught Thomas in stride for a layup that pushed Boston's lead to 22. The Wizards never threatened the rest of the way.

"Honestly, as I was rolling over like a bear, I just kind of seen this little guy open around the free-throw line and luckily that roll kind of carried the momentum of the ball and it went flying and Isaiah laid it up," explained Sullinger, who said his back was sore, but was not an injury like the disc issue that derailed his rookie season.

"That’s just kind of natural instinct," Sullinger added. "Me being this big and weighing about as big as a grizzly bear, it was just natural instinct."



Jared Sullinger, who had 21 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks and a steal Friday, grabs a rebound against Washington's Kris Humphries. AP Photo/Charles Krupa


Sullinger, pegged in the preseason as the odd man out in Boston's overstocked frontcourt, has needed only five games to assert himself as the Celtics' most consistent big man. He elevated to a starting role the past two games and finished with a team-high 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting with 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks and a steal over 21:39 in Friday's confidence-inspiring win for a team that had looked offensively anemic out of the gates of the 2015-16 season.

"He’s really shooting the ball well," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. "He’s always been a good face-up shooter, he’s shooting it probably even better right now, at least in the last couple of weeks. But he scored in the post, he rebounded. The one thing that you know going in is he’s probably our best defensive rebounder. So I thought that he was pretty good."

Stevens also credited Sullinger for jumping out and preventing Wizards guards Beal and John Wall from attacking the basket when they got behind Boston's guards. Sullinger probably didn't help the health of his back midway through the first quarter when he boldly stepped up and absorbed a charge as Wall motored in with a full head of steam. Sullinger landed hard on his back, but the Celtics promptly stretched a two-point lead to a 15-point cushion over the final half of the frame.

Sullinger scored 11 first-quarter points on 5-of-6 shooting, taking advantage of open looks when the Wizards gave him space on the perimeter while also showing some crafty post moves at the expense of former teammate Kris Humphries.

"They dared [Sullinger] to make baskets. I guess that's disrespect," Celtics swingman Jae Crowder said. "I told him they're disrespecting him the way they were playing him on the defensive end. He just had to step in and make shots. [Marcin] Gortat was letting him shoot it. [Sullinger] was the guy. He was the X factor and he was the guy we had to get going."

Sullinger laughed when informed of Crowder's "disrespect" comments, but didn't exactly disagree.

"Jae has a different way of motivating somebody. I love the dude like a brother," Sullinger said. "They really sat back on the jump shot, I think because the way I shot the ball in the preseason was horrible. Now that my shot is coming, I’m just shooting the open shots."

Sullinger said he's been able to impact the game at both ends because of his improved conditioning after a summer of hard work with former NBA player/coach John Lucas.

"It’s definitely conditioning, being able to do both ends," Sullinger said. "Before, Coach Stevens [would] say, ‘We need to score the ball’ and being the young guy that I was, I’m like, ‘OK, well, he wants me to score the ball, maybe I can take a break on defense.’ But now, I’m older, I’m mature. I’m more mature and understanding that both ends really matter. Moving forward, for us to be a good Celtics team and make a run in the playoffs, we’ve got to do it on both ends."



bob


.

Sully has earned the role of starter, his defense has improved, would like to see him get 30 minutes or so, he could be a 20-10 guy with more minutes.

I was ragging on him during preseason as I thought he was lackadaisical and was on his way out of town.

Sure am glad I was wrong and hope he keeps playing down low like a beast!