Rhythm is next step for Olynyk after return to action

http://www.csnne.com/boston-celtics/rhythm-next-step-olynyk-after-return-action



Rhythm is next step for Olynyk after return to action



March 16, 2016, 11:30 pm







BOSTON - Kelly Olynyk isn't going to like a couple things about his stat line Wednesday night.

The 1-for-7 from the field isn't great. The minus-22 is worse.

But there's probably a stat on there that means a whole lot more to him than those two, and it's the 21:40 of playing time he got against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

"It was good to get back out there, even if the game didn’t go the way we wanted," Olynyk said.

By no means was Olynyk all smiles after the game, seeing as his team lost 130-109, but he had to be at least glad to be back on the court for the first time since suffering a shoulder injury against the Los Angeles Clippers back on Feb. 10. Olynyk had missed the team's last 10 games before suiting up for this one.

According to Brad Stevens, it showed.

"He looked like a guy that hadn’t played in five and a half weeks," Stevens said, "which is to be expected, which is why we put him back in at the end of the game. The more minutes, the better."

And Olynyk didn't just coast through the game, either. He was fighting down low, and got hit on that shoulder plenty of times - so much so that he was rotating it and flexing it on the court, and even got some treatment on the sidelines after he felt a little pain.

The hits, although some may hurt, build confidence that the shoulder is strong enough to use.

"Yeah. Hopefully you don’t take too big of a bump," Olynyk said. "Other than that, I felt alright out there. I just have to get back into a rhythm."

The more playing time Olynyk gets, the quicker he'll find that rhythm - and that three-point shot.

It's obvious Boston needs as much help as possible without Jae Crowder in the lineup, and Olynyk should be able to provide some in time.



bob



.

I would hope that Olynyk coming back can off set the loss of Crowder, but they obviously play different positions and have very different skill sets.

Olynyk did not shy away last night which is a good part of his return, but he is still playing in a decent amount of pain. I think that I might limit him so that he will be much more ready for the playoffs.