Jared Sullinger is Playing Like ...

[PhoSita]

Through 22 games, Jared Sullinger is playing 25.5 minutes per game.  He's grabbing 20.6% of available rebounds, he's assisting on 15.5% of teammate field goals while he's on the floor, and his True Shooting percentage is below 50%.

All in all, his basic box score line is 10.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1 steal, 1 block on 43 / 30 / 68 shooting.

This is kind of a weird statline for a 6'9'' power forward.  I wanted to look into historical stats and try to figure out what players in the past have had seasons like the one Sully is having so far this year.


The three most similar seasons I could find:


Charles Oakley -- 23 years old -- 1986-1987 -- 6'8'' PF



14.5 points, 13.1 reb, 3.6 assists, 1 steal, .4 blocks, 44.5 / 36.7 / 68.6 shooting, 36.3 min

20.4 TRB% ... 14.3 AST% ... 49.3 TS%


Popeye Jones -- 24 years old -- 1994-1995 -- 6'8'' PF



10.3 points, 10.3 reb, 2.0 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.3 blocks, 44.3 / 08.3 / 64.5 shooting, 29.8 min

19.1 TRB% ... 10.5 AST% ... 46.2 TS%



Marcus Camby -- 33 years old -- 2007-2008 -- 6'11'' C



9.1 points, 13.1 reb, 3.3 assists, 1.1 steals, 3.6 blocks, 45.0 / 30.0 / 70.8 shooting, 34.9 min

20.3 TRB%, 12.9 AST%, 49.8 TS%

[danglertx]

Gotta TP this one with the research and even pictures.  Nice.

[jambr380]

If Sully can turn into Oakley, then I will be very pleased. He just needs to keep getting meaner.

It seems he can exceed Popeye's career if he keeps working; I don't really see the Camby comparison due to his sheer dominance as a rim protector / defensive player, but I would obviously be psyched if Sully started blocking over three shots per game.

[PhoSita]

If Sully can turn into Oakley, then I will be very pleased. He just needs to keep getting meaner.

It seems he can exceed Popeye's career if he keeps working; I don't really see the Camby comparison due to his sheer dominance as a rim protector / defensive player, but I would obviously be psyched if Sully started blocking over three shots per game.

The blocked shots are the major difference between him and Camby and no, I don't think he'll ever bother or block shots like that.

It's very hard to find guys who rebound and pass like Sullinger without the scoring efficiency or shotblocking that players with those numbers tend to have. 

Most of the guys on the list are centers who barely even try to score, like Joakim Noah and Ben Wallace.  Then you have Dennis Rodman, who is an outlier, and you have guys who take a lot more shots than Sullinger does, like Pau Gasol.


Oakley and Popeye seem like the best comps because they were also undersized power forwards.

[kozlodoev]

It seems to me that our sustained high pace has lead to other teams peeling off of the offensive boards to hurry on D. At least I see  A TON of uncontested defensive rebounds on our end recently.

[footey]

Sully, Olynyk and Turner are playing more within themselves, that is why they are looking more comfortable this season. They are not trying to do things outside their comfort zone.

[Vermont Green]

Great post for sure.  Sullinger is having a strange statistical season.  I feel like the positives (rebounding, assists, general court awareness/ball movement) are not flukes.  I think these are all the result of his natural ability and will be sustained.

The poor shooting (low efficiency scoring) seems like something that will improve.  Although his season FG% is about the same as his career FG%, watching him play, I feel like he will be able to score more efficiently as he develops.

Defense is something that is hard to measure.  When I watch him play, I feel his defense is fine.  I don't know but I get the feeling his advanced defensive stats tell a different story.

I remain high on Sullinger to be an impact PF for many years to come in the NBA.  Maybe not quite Charles Oakley but in that ballpark.

[mgent]

First name that comes to my head is.... Troy Murphy?

[mgent]

It seems to me that our sustained high pace has lead to other teams peeling off of the offensive boards to hurry on D. At least I see  A TON of uncontested defensive rebounds on our end recently.

Which is exactly why Doc was ALWAYS begging our guys to push the pace (yet no one other than Wilcox and Powe were ever willing [or able] to run with Rondo).

Score one or two easy fast break buckets on a team and they probably won't send a soul to the offensive boards for the rest of the game.

[PhoSita]

It seems to me that our sustained high pace has lead to other teams peeling off of the offensive boards to hurry on D. At least I see  A TON of uncontested defensive rebounds on our end recently.

That's a good point.  I never thought about it like that.  Increased pace actually helping you on the defensive boards.

The Celts are vulnerable on the defensive boards, though.  I feel like a team that wanted to absolutely blitz the glass for offensive boards, like Cleveland did in the playoffs last year, could dominate in that area against the Celts.

[kozlodoev]

First name that comes to my head is.... Troy Murphy?

If Sullinger can somehow morph into a 39% career three-point shooter, sure.

[Celtics18]

Nice post, Pho.  He really seems like a rebounding specialist right now (which isn't a bad thing) with considerably more offensive game than some other recent rebounding specialists--I'm thinking of guys like Reggie Evans or DaJuan Blair. 

Another interesting thing about Sully is that he is actually the Celtics' starting center.  He's still not a great help defender in the pick and roll, but one-on-one against low-post scorers he's been very good.  it's another strength of his. 

All in all, I love the way he's been playing this year.  I have little doubt he'll keep it up.  The rebounding is the main thing, and I don't see that falling off. 

[max215]

I think that Sully is best used as a Center. With his bulk he defends traditional Centers really well, and he is at his best when he stays down low and rebounds. Brad's used Sully perfectly this year.

[Who]

Still Boozer for me. Chicago-era Carlos Boozer. Not his Utah peak.

[PhoSita]

He really seems like a rebounding specialist right now (which isn't a bad thing) with considerably more offensive game than some other recent rebounding specialists--I'm thinking of guys like Reggie Evans or DaJuan Blair. 

I agree with this characterization of where his game is now.  That's probably his niche moving forward. 

Rebounding specialist, undersized for a center, but uses his bulk and intelligence to defend well in a team system.  He takes open jumpshots and can score inside when he gets an offensive board or when he's got a good matchup.  Plus he sees the floor well and frequently makes good passes that lead to scoring opportunities.

Now we just need him to stay healthy.

I could see him being part of a really good starting frontcourt, if the Celts could just find somebody with a game similar to what Amir Johnson has brought, only more physically imposing and generally more dangerous offensively.  Hard to find somebody who meets that description, though.  Al Horford and Derrick Favors are the ones that come to mind.