Tommy on Olynyk

[Evantime34]

I think Kelly needs to get stronger. I don't want to see him bulk up too much because it could slow him, and as a perimeter big this could really hurt him. In general I want to see him just work on getting in better shape this offseason, improving his muscle mass, lowering his fat % and just becoming a better athlete in general.

[kozlodoev]

This forum often wants players to be someone they are not.

I don't expect Olynyk to ever become more than a decent defender, and that's fine.  Celtics fans can't even see that we have had teams full of defenders and almost no offensive players all down the stretch of the "Big Three" era and that cost us at times.  And I say this as someone who is huge on defense.  You need offense as well.  And complete players that are good on both ends get paid, can't have a team full of them.

Perhaps not, but I don't think he's close to being decent defender

I just want a big off the bench who gets you near a double double (16 and 8 ish), passes well, runs and spaces the floor.  And that's a valuable player.

There aren't many bigs averaging 16 and 8 in the league, and barely any of them come off the bench.

[Fred Roberts]

Thx for the video highlights, Bailey. TP

[nickagneta]

I find it funny that this thread appears dead for long stretches while Olynyk is posting his usual 4 point, 3 reb, 2 ast 1-4 shooting nights and then Olynyk finally has another promising game and it becomes active again.

The kid is going to have to put in massive amounts of work to his body and his game to succeed consistently on this level. Hopefully he can.

Not sure that will ever make me like him as a player as I am just not very fond of finesse bigs that are poor defenders, and that includes players like Dirk and Love. Basically if you have one of them and they have a huge role on your team then you need a super elite big defender on your team as well for them to truly maximize their effectiveness.

[fairweatherfan]

I find it funny that this thread appears dead for long stretches while Olynyk is posting his usual 4 point, 3 reb, 2 ast 1-4 shooting nights and then Olynyk finally has another promising game and it becomes active again.

What long stretch?  The 3 games since he had consecutive double-doubles?  I'm just glad he finally had another promising game, that was a rough week and a half, even with the All-Star Break in the middle to distract us.

[PhoSita]

I find it funny that this thread appears dead for long stretches while Olynyk is posting his usual 4 point, 3 reb, 2 ast 1-4 shooting nights and then Olynyk finally has another promising game and it becomes active again.

Is this any different than how the forum reacts to any other player?

Rondo has a terrible game, people react to that.  Rondo has a triple double, people react to that.

Green explodes for 40, people react.  Green has a truly awful performance, people react.

The stuff in the middle rarely gets talked about all that much.


Kelly has been reasonably productive of late, but he has his ups and downs.  Well, so does everybody else on the team.  It's not as if anybody on the roster is playing especially well during the 5 game losing streak (or really the majority of the season).


You don't particularly like finesse bigs, that's fine.  As long as you recognize that there's a place in the league for guys like that, and that there are plenty of examples of productive, valuable players with that skillset and physical profile, that's fine.


I personally have little patience for guards who can't shoot, or big men who have no offensive skillset more than 5 feet away from the basket (though I do miss Perk's pick-setting).

[clover]

I find it funny that this thread appears dead for long stretches while Olynyk is posting his usual 4 point, 3 reb, 2 ast 1-4 shooting nights and then Olynyk finally has another promising game and it becomes active again.

The kid is going to have to put in massive amounts of work to his body and his game to succeed consistently on this level. Hopefully he can.

Not sure that will ever make me like him as a player as I am just not very fond of finesse bigs that are poor defenders, and that includes players like Dirk and Love. Basically if you have one of them and they have a huge role on your team then you need a super elite big defender on your team as well for them to truly maximize their effectiveness.

So you're saying that KO could actually become the next Dirk--and you still wouldn't be happy with him?

[kozlodoev]

You don't particularly like finesse bigs, that's fine.  As long as you recognize that there's a place in the league for guys like that, and that there are plenty of examples of productive, valuable players with that skillset and physical profile, that's fine.

Yes, for example Matt Bonner, Channing Frye, Spencer Hawes, or BJ Mullens. Except there are also people who refuse to recognize that there is a realistic scenario where Olynyk will never be considerably better than this lot.

[jc3celticsphan]

This forum often wants players to be someone they are not.

I don't expect Olynyk to ever become more than a decent defender, and that's fine.  Celtics fans can't even see that we have had teams full of defenders and almost no offensive players all down the stretch of the "Big Three" era and that cost us at times.  And I say this as someone who is huge on defense.  You need offense as well.  And complete players that are good on both ends get paid, can't have a team full of them.

Perhaps not, but I don't think he's close to being decent defender

I just want a big off the bench who gets you near a double double (16 and 8 ish), passes well, runs and spaces the floor.  And that's a valuable player.

There aren't many bigs averaging 16 and 8 in the league, and barely any of them come off the bench.

sure looked like olynyk was the only one giving effort on defense last night from the moment he stepped in the first quarter.

but hes a bad defender??...?

[PhoSita]

You don't particularly like finesse bigs, that's fine.  As long as you recognize that there's a place in the league for guys like that, and that there are plenty of examples of productive, valuable players with that skillset and physical profile, that's fine.

Yes, for example Matt Bonner, Channing Frye, Spencer Hawes, or BJ Mullens. Except there are also people who refuse to recognize that there is a realistic scenario where Olynyk will never be considerably better than this lot.

There definitely is a realistic scenario where that is the case.

My feeling continues to be that Hawes or Scola are the closest comparisons in terms of style and skillset that I've heard or can think of, though he's definitely not at their level yet (especially Scola's).

I think Bonner and Frye are more pure shooters than Kelly, and he's already a better rebounder.  I don't know if he'll be able to become a specialist like those guys, but I think he has a better chance of being a more multi-tool guy off the bench -- Boris Diaw is another player I've mentioned multiple times. 

Like Bonner and Diaw on the Spurs, I think Kelly will have a place in an offense that can make the most out of smart bigs who can pass a bit, shoot a bit, rebound a bit, and get in position defensively more often than not.

[kozlodoev]

sure looked like olynyk was the only one giving effort on defense last night from the moment he stepped in the first quarter.

but hes a bad defender??...?

Effort is not the same thing as achievement.

[hwangjini_1]

sure looked like olynyk was the only one giving effort on defense last night from the moment he stepped in the first quarter.

but hes a bad defender??...?

Effort is not the same thing as achievement.

well said. i like olly more than many here, but i wont defend his defense as being remotely good so far. his effort is fine, he is smart, tries hard. if he can develop muscles, learn rotations, then MAYBE turn into an adequate team defender. i am hopefully, but not delusional...at least not on this. 

but the reality is that olly is slow when moving laterally, painfully slow. even last night there was a play where an opposing guard simply blew right by olly, who was literally standing still.

watch how olly plays off of other players so as to gain a little edge and negate their speed. that tactic leads to a number of open shots by opponents. he also gets moved off his spot by stronger c/pf.

i like olly's game and i think with stevens as coach the celtics will be drawing up a number of plays for him, something i dont think they have now.

a number of posters have said olly can be a valuable off-the-bench big who can bring offense and rebounding. i agree. if his defense can at least be adquate, he has a valuable role on a good team...such as the celtics will be in a few years. 

[jc3celticsphan]

sure looked like olynyk was the only one giving effort on defense last night from the moment he stepped in the first quarter.

but hes a bad defender??...?

Effort is not the same thing as achievement.

then for some one whos too slow and goofy to play defense he achieved a better defensive game then bass and humph....

[jc3celticsphan]

olynyk is a better post defender then humph and bass.

ill take the guy who actually has some post game to have the smarts  to actually play some defense on that end because he knows what's coming and he showed ability to challenge shots better then both bass and humph (in the post)

dont know what people expect from him... lebron chase down blocks... realy?

[Tr1boy]

Olynyk next season will prove he was a steal of the 2013 draft. Dallas made a bad move

Danny has scored with sully and oly. We just need a bonafide center to complete our future front court status. Embiid would be a dream and vonleh a nice 2nd prize