Sullinger Rebounds On Pure Instinct

by **bobheckler** Sun Oct 13, 2013 1:59 pm

http://bostonherald.com/sports/celtics_nba/boston_celtics/2013/10/sullinger_rebounds_on_pure_instinct

Sullinger rebounds on pure instinct

Sunday, October 13, 2013
By: Mark Murphy
.

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Rebounding is instinct, according to Jared Sullinger.

That must be true, because Brad Stevens has been watching the Celtics forward’s instinct at work for a long time.

“I remember the first time I saw him play and it was in a high school open gym,” said Stevens, who was a Butler assistant coach at the time. “I called Thad (head coach Matta) on the way home and said I can’t believe how much this kid can do. Not just rebounding, but shooting, passing. He’s just a very instinctive player. He understands the game. It comes very easy to him. We’ve been better with Sully on the floor. The numbers bear that out in the first three exhibition games. Hopefully, that continues.”

Considering many of the other numbers from the Celtics that have stained the box score over the three exhibition games leading into last night’s rematch with the Knicks in Verizon Wireless Arena, it’s impossible not to notice Sullinger’s progress.

He’s the Celtics’ leading scorer (12.8 ppg) and rebounder (6.5 rpg).

He was slightly more subdued last night with 12 points and five rebounds during the team’s first win of the preseason under Stevens, beating the Knicks, 111-81. But for those wondering about the best Celtic during the four games of this preseason, it is quite possibly the same guy who said he wasn’t “close” on the first day of training camp.

Sullinger, by his own admission, is overweight and in a never-ending search for better conditioning.

He won’t say how much weight he’s lost since the start of training camp because he doesn’t know. He doesn’t look at the scale.

“I haven’t checked myself since middle of September,” said Sullinger. “I’m just mentally trying to get better and better. I don’t want to have no hiccups. Just keep working hard and get into the best shape possible.

“I use these games not as preseason games, but like I manage the season,” he said. “Just go out there and play hard. We have a lot of back-to-backs, and keep playing. I have to do a couple (of) more things, but right now I’m on schedule.”

But one gets the impression Sullinger could rebound sitting in a lounge chair and sipping his favorite cocktail.

It’s about that instinct.

“Yeah, rebounding is easy to me, because all you have to do is hold off your man and go get the rebound,” he said. “Then you’re good.

“Rebounding works if you go get it, and have the instincts for it,” said Sullinger. “That’s something you don’t lose. But I’m just playing as hard as I can. This year it’s just trying to get into the best shape possible. I have a lot of work to do.”

Right now, energy may be the most surprising part of Sullinger’s game, considering his early battle with excess weight and conditioning as the result of last winter’s back surgery.

“You hope that’s what these days are good for,” Stevens said of Sullinger’s gradual push into game shape. “Right now, we could use a day of practice more than an exhibition game. But for him these are good, really good. He played a large chunk in the third and fourth quarter (Friday night) without any rest, to the point where I took him out and would have put him back in if the game had been close at the end.”

Some things, especially from Stevens’ perspective, haven’t changed since that recruiting trip a long time ago.

“He was recruiting my teammates J.D. Weatherspoon and Trey Burke,” said Sullinger. “He was there, introduced himself, and the next thing I know I see Butler in the national championship game. He’s a helluva coach, though.”

bob

.

by **dboss** Sun Oct 13, 2013 2:27 pm

Sully is our best rebounder and may be one of the best fundamentally sound rebounders on the Celtics in years. He does not jump particularly high but has mastered the technique of getting the ball at both ends.

dboss

by **bobheckler** Sun Oct 13, 2013 2:33 pm

dboss wrote:Sully is our best rebounder and may be one of the best fundamentally sound rebounders on the Celtics in years. He does not jump particularly high but has mastered the technique of getting the ball at both ends.

dboss

dboss,

He uses his body exceptionally well. He says his greatest asset he got from his mother, his big butt. He gets opponents on his butt and they can't get around him. Last night he was doing a great job of sealing his man on the inside so they couldn't contest the entry pass to him in the low blocks.

bob

.

by **Sam** Sun Oct 13, 2013 6:01 pm

I was initially excited about playing Olynyk with Sully because of their passing skills up front. However, I'm afraid that would be more than offset by Olynyk's deficiencies in rebounding action. I hate to say that because I really like the kid and want him to succeed. But, at this early juncture, I'd rather see Faverani and Sully playing together. While it might not be a perfect pairing, I believe it would be the optimal fit (based on the current roster) in terms of a combination of three factors: producing points, exerting tough post defense, and rebounding.

My second team would have Humphries at center and Bass at PF.

I'd think about using Olynyk at center (maybe with Green at PF) primarily when the other team goes small or Brad wants to pick up the pace.

Sam

by **k_j_88** Sun Oct 13, 2013 6:12 pm

If Olynyk can get his outside offense consistent, he may be able to play with Sully, alternating between PF and C on offense and defense.

KJ

by Sponsored content

Sullinger Rebounds On Pure Instinct

Sullinger Rebounds On Pure Instinct

Re: Sullinger Rebounds On Pure Instinct

Re: Sullinger Rebounds On Pure Instinct

Re: Sullinger Rebounds On Pure Instinct

Re: Sullinger Rebounds On Pure Instinct

Re: Sullinger Rebounds On Pure Instinct