Scal says KO should play the three.

[PickNRoll]

You measure them by watching them play.  Of course you can measure balance and coordination visually.  Have you played basketball before?  It's something you can size up almost immediately.  Quickness, balance, coordination... and yes, Bird was superior in every way.

[Chris22]

You measure them by watching them play.  Of course you can measure balance and coordination visually.  Have you played basketball before?  It's something you can size up almost immediately.  Quickness, balance, coordination... and yes, Bird was superior in every way.

Bird was a much better athlete than people give him credit for.

Especially when he was young.

[Beat LA]

Yeah, I agree.  I always thought that Olynyk has a similar skill set as Larry Bird, who was played small forward. Now I am not saying he is nearly as good as Bird, but he is similar in terms of his ball handling and passing skills, and outside shooting, looks to find the open player. I think it's a good observation by Scal. I thought he said Kelly should take more 3's, not play the 3. LOL

at least get it right..LOL

Lol, I knew that I should have been at least a little bit more specific.  I just think it's blasphemous to even put KO in the same sentence as Bird, lol.

[moiso]

I'm trying to think if there's any precedent for a guy with these sort of physical limitations blossoming into a solid starter.  Drawing a blank thus far.

Larry Bird. Wasn't exactly a great athlete, physically. 

He had a pretty decent career, as I recall.

Bird had incredible balance and coordination that Kelly lacks, as well as those lightening quick hands that someone else mentioned.  It seems like Kelly stumbles and falls down quite a bit when he drives.  Also Bird was much stronger.  He could bang and wouldn't lose his position easily when someone else banged him.

Incredible balance and coordination. C'mon, we're not talking figure skating here.  How can you possibly measure the differences in their respective balance and coordination? 

The real difference between the two is that Bird was supremely confident, and had nerves of steel.  These are mental differences.  The point I was making is that Bird was unimpressive physically.  Slow.  Below average leaper.  Bad one on one defender.  Lacked long arms. But was able to be a great player anyway, despite his physical limitations.

Why do you think Steve Nash was so great offensively?  Balance and coordination.  Take them away and you have a better passing Dan Dickau.

[Beat LA]

You measure them by watching them play.  Of course you can measure balance and coordination visually.  Have you played basketball before?  It's something you can size up almost immediately.  Quickness, balance, coordination... and yes, Bird was superior in every way.

Bird was a much better athlete than people give him credit for.

Especially when he was young.

TP, you beat me to it.  Bird might not have been fast, but he had lightning-quick hands and, believe it or not, pretty good to excellent lateral quickness.  His wingspan, iirc, was either equal to his height, or slightly longer, but at least it wasn't noticeably shorter like KO's.  It's a bigger problem for a guy who's supposed to play inside, anyway, imo, like Olynyk.  Plus, I really hate stretch fours, lol, but that's just personal preference.  I also hate when Kelly pump-fakes and then tries to drive the lane or whatever, because, honestly, he looks only slightly faster than Chris Mullin, who, again, at least had lightning-quick hands to be able to offset some of his defensive deficiencies.  Dat billy goat has none of those things, and where are his post moves!?  PLAY INSIDE!  Ugh.

[footey]

You measure them by watching them play.  Of course you can measure balance and coordination visually.  Have you played basketball before?  It's something you can size up almost immediately.  Quickness, balance, coordination... and yes, Bird was superior in every way.

Bird was a much better athlete than people give him credit for.

Especially when he was young.

I agree with that statement. And Kelly O is a better athlete than some folk on this board give credit.  How many 7 footers in the NBA have his ball handling ability, passing skills and 3 point touch? 

[PaulAllen]

I said this from the first game..

Green at the 2 KO at 3

[Rosco917]

As time and games go by Kelly will learn to anticipate a bit more on the defensive end, and not be made to look so inept as a low post defender so continually.  If you surround him with a real good defensive center, more so. Maybe enough to justify him coming off the bench as an offensive spark on a mediocre team. If this is the way you want to see the Celtics roster go, great. I really don't. 
 
At this point in his career, he's a terrible defender. He's always over matched when ever he's in the game.
To think about comparing his with Bird is crazy. Larry could see and anticipate on Defense at a level that Kelly couldn't dream of. Let's not even talk about offense.

[Celtics4ever]

Kelly will learn to anticipate a bit more on the defensive end,

Anticipation is no substitute for foot speed.

[Celtics18]

Kelly will learn to anticipate a bit more on the defensive end,

Anticipation is no substitute for foot speed.

Disagreed.  I've often found it to be an adequate substitute. 

[PickNRoll]

Kelly will learn to anticipate a bit more on the defensive end,

Anticipation is no substitute for foot speed.

Disagreed.  I've often found it to be an adequate substitute.

You're both right in a certain way.  There are thresholds.  Pierce was a great defender towards the end of his time with the Celtics, using a combination of decent foot speed and excellent anticipation and court savvy.  Avery Bradley shows elite foot speed, but only decent anticipation.  Smart shows great anticipation considering his age, along with great lateral speed.

Olynyk is a different breed.  He grades out something like a D- for foot speed and a D+ for anticipation.  You simply can't make up for being that slow and having poor balance.  He can't change direction, can't cut off driving lanes, can't beat his man to a spot.  All the instincts and anticipation in the world aren't going to fix it.  Just my 2 cents. 

[rollie mass]

his short wingspan hurts kelly on d-from bothering shots to having to be closer to his man and unable to deny ball,i think your anticipation grade harsh, he just getting used to nba and officials-watch last nights game  i gave him high grades for anticipation and effort-

[PickNRoll]

his short wingspan hurts kelly on d-from bothering shots to having to be closer to his man and unable to deny ball,i think your anticipation grade harsh, he just getting used to nba and officials-watch last nights game  i gave him high grades for anticipation and effort-

I agree that he deserves high grades for effort.  He never takes a play off and always runs hard.

I also give him credit for becoming stronger year-over-year and his anticipation has improved a tiny bit.  When Olynyk first came into the league I made a strange comparison -- Gerald Green.  They both appeared to be slightly knock-kneed (knees in, feet out) when running or establishing a base on defense. Green had noticeably poor balance, a poor first step, and trouble staying in front of his man.  Sure, he had an insane 50" vertical, but that simply didn't translate.  It took Green a long time and a trip overseas to figure it out.  I'm not suggesting that either guy has some sort of medical condition, this is just my way of describing their gait and kinematics.  Some people are natural, fluid athletes -- Olynynk isn't one of em.

[mgent]

You measure them by watching them play.  Of course you can measure balance and coordination visually.  Have you played basketball before?  It's something you can size up almost immediately.  Quickness, balance, coordination... and yes, Bird was superior in every way.

Bird was a much better athlete than people give him credit for.

Especially when he was young.

The same could be said for Olynyk.

[timpiker]

"IF" Scal was being serious, I'd believe him.