Of Celtics Returning, Sullinger Poised For Big Improvement

by **bobheckler** Sat Sep 13, 2014 12:27 pm

http://www.csnne.com/boston-celtics/cs-returnees-sullinger-poised-big-improvement

Of C's returnees, Sullinger poised for big improvement
September 12, 2014, 12:15 pm

Of Celtics Returning, Sullinger Poised For Big Improvement Byline-blakely

Of Celtics Returning, Sullinger Poised For Big Improvement Byline-blakely

BOSTON — With at least a dozen faces back from last season's Celtics, you can count on at least one or two returners to be noticeably better than they were a year ago.

There are several players to consider, but 6-foot-9 forward Jared Sullinger is the one guy who should open the most eyes this season.

Kelly Olynyk is certainly worth consideration, but you have to remember that the Celtics traded up into the lottery in order to draft the 7-foot big man out of Gonzaga in 2013.

And the idea of a lottery pick panning out after his team won 25 games in his rookie season isn't really that surprising.

Regardless of whether Sullinger SHOULD have been a lottery pick (top-14) in 2012, he wasn't taken until Boston scooped him at No. 21.

And when you look back at his draft class, he ranks among the best big men, despite missing a sizable chunk of his rookie season after back surgery.

In his two NBA seasons, Sullinger has averaged 9.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.

Only three power forward/center types from the class of 2012 (New Orleans' Anthony Davis, Detroit's Andre Drummond and Houston's Terrence Jones) have a higher scoring average, and Sullinger's rebounding numbers are only trumped from his draft class by Davis (9.1) and Drummond (10.eight).

And while the back surgery Sullinger underwent in 2013 alleviated a lot of his discomfort, as well as improved his gait, he recently admitted to having some initial fears about his back when he returned to the floor last season.

"I think I was a little afraid at the beginning of training camp due to my back, contact and all that stuff," Sullinger said. "I was afraid what was going to happen in the middle of the season. But now, I know what I can do. I know how my back is going to hold up. The beautiful thing about is I have another year to show who Jared Sullinger can be."

When fans see him now, it's obvious he has lost weight since the end of last season.

However, Sullinger's weight loss hasn't been enough to where he looks radically different body-wise than he has in the past.

That's a good thing, folks.

One of Sullinger's most endearing qualities, is having a large derriere that creates space for him to go to work offensively in addition to allowing him frequently to get in great position to rebound.

For undersized big men like Sullinger, he has to play a below-the-rim game in order to be effective.

That's what worked for him in high school and later at Ohio State.

And while he has shown promise early on that those same skills can be effective in the NBA, his being in better shape while maintaining the qualities and assets that got him to the league, such as great rebounding instincts and a high basketball IQ, can only serve as the framework for a bright future for both Sullinger and the Celtics.

bob
MY NOTE: Like most basketball intellectual lightweights, Blakely couldn't be bothered normalizing minutes, to see production/minute on the floor. If he did, he'd have seen that Sully got 10.6 rebounds/36mpg while Anthony Davis got 10.3 rebounds/36mpg. Davis played more mpg than Sully. Davis played 35mpg last year while Sully played 27.5mpg. This is another reason, btw, why I think Sully will be playing 26-28mpg this year and not the 30+ some predict. Those are still solid numbers and they are in line with what he has been playing. We're still deep at 4, so there's no need for him to take a big jump up in mpg.

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by **k_j_88** Sat Sep 13, 2014 1:05 pm

Oh Blakely, Kelly could have easily been a late teens pick (and probably would have been) if Ainge did not trade up to get him.

On another note, I hope he won't have any more issues with that hand of his.

KJ

by **Sam** Sat Sep 13, 2014 1:15 pm

It'll be interesting to see whether Sully's weight loss and/or being in better shape will encourage Brad to add to his minutes total. But I believe the greater determinant will be his primary position. Locking horns with guys more his own size rather than bigger guys could easily add a few minutes too his per-game average. Of course, the available minutes at the PF position will also have a bearing. I'd be happier if the Celts added another solid rotation player who has played the center position quite well (Lee?), possibly paring the PF position by one player (Bass?).

Sam

by **bobheckler** Sat Sep 13, 2014 1:32 pm

k_j_88 wrote:Oh Blakely, Kelly could have easily been a late teens pick (and probably would have been) if Ainge did not trade up to get him.

On another note, I hope he won't have any more issues with that hand of his.

KJ

KJ,

We had the #16 pick. We moved up to take him at #13. It was thought he'd be gone, to Utah, at 14. So, at worst, he'd have been 16 and probably at worst 14 if Danny hadn't moved up. Not much space between them. Bottom line, he'd have been a lottery pick either way.

bob

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