How to Find Peace Watching Kelly Olynyk

[PhoSita]

There might not be a player on the Celtics right now who generates more frustration and angst than Kelly Olynyk.  Why won't he shoot?  Why can't he be more consistent?  What's his ceiling?  Why doesn't he play tougher?  What's with his hair?

I was thinking about this, and I realized a good way to come to peace with watching KO as a Celts fan.

Consider the following statlines:

9.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 43.4 / 33.0 / 65.5, 26.7 minutes

8.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 43.0 / 43.1 / 72.7, 17.7 minutes

8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 43.1 / 36.7 / 73.5, 18.7 minutes

8.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 43.9 / 33.3 / 54.8, 21.7  minutes

8.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 48.2 / 47.9 / 79.4, 26.9 minutes

8.9 points, 2.2 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 44.9 / 42.5 / 81.8, 21.8 minutes


Want to know who those players are?

In order:

Bojan Bogdanovic (6'8'', 216 lbs)

Mirza Teletovic (6'9'' 242 lbs)

Kelly Olynyk (7'0'', 238 lbs)

Chandler Parsons (6'10'' 230 lbs)

Jared Dudley (6'7'' 225 lbs)

Doug McDermott (6'8'' 225 lbs)


Notice anything?

Essentially, you need to look at Kelly like he's a 6'8''-6'10'' combo forward.  His effective size is closer to 6'9'' than his actual 7'0'', and he plays more like a small forward than a center.  His main value is that he can give you small forward type production at the center spot without killing you defensively.

Set your expectations accordingly, and perhaps you can be at peace with Olynyk.

[BudweiserCeltic]

There might not be a player on the Celtics right now who generates more frustration and angst than Kelly Olynyk.  Why won't he shoot?  Why can't he be more consistent?  What's his ceiling?  Why doesn't he play tougher?  What's with his hair?

I was thinking about this, and I realized a good way to come to peace with watching KO as a Celts fan.

Consider the following statlines:

9.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 43.4 / 33.0 / 65.5, 26.7 minutes

8.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 43.0 / 43.1 / 72.7, 17.7 minutes

8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 43.1 / 36.7 / 73.5, 18.7 minutes

8.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 43.9 / 33.3 / 54.8, 21.7  minutes

8.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 48.2 / 47.9 / 79.4, 26.9 minutes

8.9 points, 2.2 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 44.9 / 42.5 / 81.8, 21.8 minutes


Want to know who those players are?

In order:

Bojan Bogdanovic (6'8'', 216 lbs)

Mirza Teletovic (6'9'' 242 lbs)

Kelly Olynyk (7'0'', 238 lbs)

Chandler Parsons (6'10'' 230 lbs)

Jared Dudley (6'7'' 225 lbs)

Doug McDermott (6'8'' 225 lbs)


Notice anything?

Essentially, you need to look at Kelly like he's a 6'8''-6'10'' combo forward.  His effective size is closer to 6'9'' than his actual 7'0'', and he plays more like a small forward than a center.  His main value is that he can give you small forward type production at the center spot without killing you defensively.

Set your expectations accordingly, and perhaps you can be at peace with Olynyk.

Well... I think most of those guys suck (though that's a bit of a strong word), so not sure how that helps make peace with it.

I'm guessing part of what's helping you is "hey, we can compare him to Chandler Parsons" since he's the better one of the bunch. Problem for him is that he's taken a step back this year and he's been fairly putrid. For all he was being touted, he's not starting for Dallas because of his poor play.

He's coming off knee surgery... so more to that point, you're being at peace being compared to a player who's not playing to his optimal and overall just playing poorly?

[PhoSita]

Well... I think most of those guys suck (though that's a bit of a strong word), so not sure how that helps make peace with it.

That's kind of my point.

Those guys I mentioned are all role players.  What's more, they're role playing wings who often play at the 4 in small-ball lineups.

Kelly is similar to them, only he can play at center without killing the team's defense.  That gives him extra value, though it's niche value.

Set your expectations accordingly. 

[BudweiserCeltic]

Well... I think most of those guys suck (though that's a bit of a strong word), so not sure how that helps make peace with it.

That's kind of my point.

Those guys I mentioned are all role players.  What's more, they're role playing wings who often play at the 4 in small-ball lineups.

Kelly is similar to them, only he can play at center without killing the team's defense.  That gives him extra value, though it's niche value.

Set your expectations accordingly.

LOL OK, I'm getting a bit of mix messages, but I think I get where you're coming from.

[PhoSita]

I get the sense that a lot of the frustration with Olynyk is that people look at him as this seven foot guy with some skills that remind them of Dirk.  They expect him to use his size more.  They look at his per-36 numbers and imagine him doing that as a full time starter at power forward.

Accept that he's a role player who will give you wing production at the center spot, and you may find he doesn't bother you so much anymore.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I get the sense that a lot of the frustration with Olynyk is that people look at him as this seven foot guy with some skills that remind them of Dirk.  They expect him to use his size more.  They look at his per-36 numbers and imagine him doing that as a full time starter at power forward.

Accept that he's a role player who will give you wing production at the center spot, and you may find he doesn't bother you so much anymore.

I'll settle for a player who shoots the ball when he's open... then go from there.

[LooseCannon]

Consistency is overrated.

[PhoSita]

I get the sense that a lot of the frustration with Olynyk is that people look at him as this seven foot guy with some skills that remind them of Dirk.  They expect him to use his size more.  They look at his per-36 numbers and imagine him doing that as a full time starter at power forward.

Accept that he's a role player who will give you wing production at the center spot, and you may find he doesn't bother you so much anymore.

I'll settle for a player who shoots the ball when he's open... then go from there.

I think Kelly is always going to have a distributor's mindset, so you'll probably be disappointed on that front.

[danglertx]

There might not be a player on the Celtics right now who generates more frustration and angst than Kelly Olynyk.  Why won't he shoot?  Why can't he be more consistent?  What's his ceiling?  Why doesn't he play tougher?  What's with his hair?

I was thinking about this, and I realized a good way to come to peace with watching KO as a Celts fan.

Consider the following statlines:

9.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 43.4 / 33.0 / 65.5, 26.7 minutes

8.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 43.0 / 43.1 / 72.7, 17.7 minutes

8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 43.1 / 36.7 / 73.5, 18.7 minutes

8.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 43.9 / 33.3 / 54.8, 21.7  minutes

8.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 48.2 / 47.9 / 79.4, 26.9 minutes

8.9 points, 2.2 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 44.9 / 42.5 / 81.8, 21.8 minutes


Want to know who those players are?

In order:

Bojan Bogdanovic (6'8'', 216 lbs)

Mirza Teletovic (6'9'' 242 lbs)

Kelly Olynyk (7'0'', 238 lbs)

Chandler Parsons (6'10'' 230 lbs)

Jared Dudley (6'7'' 225 lbs)

Doug McDermott (6'8'' 225 lbs)


Notice anything?

Essentially, you need to look at Kelly like he's a 6'8''-6'10'' combo forward.  His effective size is closer to 6'9'' than his actual 7'0'', and he plays more like a small forward than a center.  His main value is that he can give you small forward type production at the center spot without killing you defensively.

Set your expectations accordingly, and perhaps you can be at peace with Olynyk.

What I take from that is that KO plays significantly less than a guy named Bogdan.  It is the system and I get it, but KO needs more time.  In fact, I think he should start.  He seems like a guy who needs to get in a rhythm early or his confidence tanks.

During our last three losses, KO is mostly standing at the top of the three point line weak side or in the corner for our possessions while IT, Lee or ET pound the ball on the opposite side of the floor.  What happened to our ball movement offense?

[PhoSita]

IT, Lee or ET pound the ball on the opposite side of the floor. 


What happened to our ball movement offense?

Our offense has been predominantly centered around the bolded players.

Sort of happens by default because there just aren't enough talented scorers on this team to do otherwise.  But with those three guys you pretty much just let them do their thing and hope it works.

Isaiah for the most part has done a good job adapting to Stevens' system, but it's not always a perfect fit -- especially when the team is struggling and he kind of goes into Hero Mode.

[Who]

I'd like to see Olynyk start for awhile and see how he does. Instead of Sully.

[Snakehead]

I think you make peace with watching the whole floor and seeing how much a Center even presenting the threat of shooting a three or making a drive and dish helps and changes things.

I feel the frustration with him (because he has very high potential I think, All Star level) but I think the point you bring up misses the whole strength of his game: he is a center.  Especially this year he is playing defense and not giving up anything there, then having his skill against the opposing centers.  Even without a scorers mentality he makes an impact.  Having that space and passing on the floor makes a difference (numbers bear this out for him).

He's in his third year and he should keep getting better.  I think a huge thing for him is getting him 20 mpg +.  Many nights he does not play enough.  Barring foul trouble, there is no reason he should play the same minutes as David Lee in a game and many times this year they get basically 15 or so each.

He recently went on a nice stretch of games and some were trying to find all these reasons why and it was because he was getting more than 20 minutes a game.  I'm not saying he is always consistent game in or game out (moment to moment either) but with time he produces.  I feel like his shots (especially threes) can come in bunches.

[kozlodoev]

If you can have peace with a big rebounding like a SF, you're a better man than I am. 

[Snakehead]

By the way: notice in your list Olynyk is playing less minutes than most of the other guys.

[Quetzalcoatl]

There might not be a player on the Celtics right now who generates more frustration and angst than Kelly Olynyk. 

Pretty sure the rankings are:

1.) Evan Turner
2.) Jerebko
3.) David Lee
4.) KO
5.) Zeller (just because people have given up on him and he isn't generating the same message volume anymore)