Olynyk - is it ok to call him out?

[Greyman]

Kelly needs to be able to shoot to provide value out there.  If his shoulder doesn't feel right, he wouldn't help the team by playing.

^this



only ppl inside the team have enough context to fully assess the situation.

in the case of olynyk, he always had the reputation of being 'soft', so it is expectable that fans will be suspicious now; still there might be things we do not know.

I see no reason to question his commitment or manliness because he doesn't want to play with an injury. If he can't perform 100% and risks further damage then it is pointless to play. I don't think any pro gives up playing at this time of the season easily. He has nothing to gain by missing games and may contribute next to nothing by playing with an injury. I don't get the argument of, we want to see him perform badly in games and miss shots before we believe he is too hurt to play. What is the point?

Most comparisons are pointless really, different circumstances etc. I will offer that a guy like KG would play through stuff but there are no similarities between the two types of games. KG could still do most of what he did with a sore shoulder. If KO can't hit 3s he won't affect the whole court and he will likely be a turnstile on D. Plus they are different guys, KO can't suddenly have the KG persona that made him KG.

[rollie mass]

remember his eye injury came back and played well-i dislocated my shoulder several years ago-
it was called a clinicaly frozen shoulder -it completely shut down,i could think pick this up or move and nothing-
 we had a player on high school squad who would just pop it back in and keep playing-
its sickening calling a player soft with a shoulder injury
 it is so critical when you shoot from distance-if it effects his d ,alters his shot ,limits his ability to rebound
it takes courage and intelligence to sit out and watch knowing you are so intregal to your teams success
what is it with you guys for even thinking like that-

[PAOBoston]

There is a difference between playing hurt and playing injured. Olynyk missed a chunk of the season with a shoulder injury. I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt on this one. He hasn't been as good since coming back from that injury as he was early on in the season.

[SHAQATTACK]

KO probably gonna need the AB shoulder surgery .

[ThaPreacher]

Kelly needs to be able to shoot to provide value out there.  If his shoulder doesn't feel right, he wouldn't help the team by playing.

Ah, ye the younger generation of Celtic fans, just don't understand commitment.
the 72-73 Celtics, perhaps one of Boston's most talented teams (besides the 86-87 Celtics)
to not win.   This is an example of Celtic Pride and Celtic Toughness:

"In Game 3, John Havlicek injured his right shoulder by running into a Dave DeBusschere pick. Havlicek missed Game 4, but returned and shot left-handed for the rest of the series."
MSG-Networks


You can give Olynyk a pass if you want to.  But I'm not sure past Celtics would see it the same way.

[PAOBoston]

Kelly needs to be able to shoot to provide value out there.  If his shoulder doesn't feel right, he wouldn't help the team by playing.

Ah, ye the younger generation of Celtic fans, just don't understand commitment.
the 72-73 Celtics, perhaps one of Boston's most talented teams (besides the 86-87 Celtics)
to not win.   This is an example of Celtic Pride and Celtic Toughness:

"In Game 3, John Havlicek injured his right shoulder by running into a Dave DeBusschere pick. Havlicek missed Game 4, but returned and shot left-handed for the rest of the series."
MSG-Networks


You can give Olynyk a pass if you want to.  But I'm not sure past Celtics would see it the same way.

Kelly Olynyk is not Havlicek. Havlicek's team also had several HOFers and a star studded cast. Also, not all injuries are the same.

[jambr380]

It would be great if KO had the physical intangibles of Smart, Crowder, AB, Amir, etc, but he doesn't. He is a great shooter and positional player, but if Horford and Millsap are going to take a shot at his shoulder every time down the floor, then Kelly will be even more tentative. His solid shooting and passing would take a drastic turn for the worse and his rebounding and boxing out would nearly disappear; he would look ridiculous out there.

It's easy to look at pasty, long-haired Kelly and think, 'wuss', and maybe he isn't as rugged as some others, but if he can't use his skills, then there is really no reason for him to be out there.

[kozlodoev]

Kelly needs to be able to shoot to provide value out there.  If his shoulder doesn't feel right, he wouldn't help the team by playing.

Ah, ye the younger generation of Celtic fans, just don't understand commitment.
the 72-73 Celtics, perhaps one of Boston's most talented teams (besides the 86-87 Celtics)
to not win.   This is an example of Celtic Pride and Celtic Toughness:

"In Game 3, John Havlicek injured his right shoulder by running into a Dave DeBusschere pick. Havlicek missed Game 4, but returned and shot left-handed for the rest of the series."
MSG-Networks


You can give Olynyk a pass if you want to.  But I'm not sure past Celtics would see it the same way.

And the older generation Celtics fans do not understand that it's no longer your grandpa's NBA and you simply cannot get away with this type of shenanigans.

[fairweatherfan]

Kelly needs to be able to shoot to provide value out there.  If his shoulder doesn't feel right, he wouldn't help the team by playing.

Ah, ye the younger generation of Celtic fans, just don't understand commitment.
the 72-73 Celtics, perhaps one of Boston's most talented teams (besides the 86-87 Celtics)
to not win.   This is an example of Celtic Pride and Celtic Toughness:

"In Game 3, John Havlicek injured his right shoulder by running into a Dave DeBusschere pick. Havlicek missed Game 4, but returned and shot left-handed for the rest of the series."
MSG-Networks


You can give Olynyk a pass if you want to.  But I'm not sure past Celtics would see it the same way.

And the older generation Celtics fans do not understand that it's no longer your grandpa's NBA and you simply cannot get away with this type of shenanigans.

And also Olynyk, like the vast majority of players in every era, just flat-out isn't good enough to switch shooting hands and be remotely effective in a playoff series.

[33_Larry Legend_33]

There is a difference between being "hurt" and being "injured"...  Playing in pain is one thing, but playing through an injury is another.  In my teen years I watched Larry play the day after spending the night in traction, or watching McHale play on a broken foot.  But I recognize those days are long gone, so whatever Kelly can do to help this team...  If he can't go, he can't go...it's that simple.

The problem, as I see it, is Sully is just about ueseless.  He could really compensate for Kelly's absence, but sometimes I think a mannequin stuck in a bucket of sand would be more helpful than Sully is these days. 

Players can compensate for other players too... 

[Celtics4ever]

Some guys can play hurt and others can't.   I believe that KO is in the latter camp but I think he would go if he could from what CBS said.

The problem, as I see it, is Sully is just about ueseless.  He could really compensate for Kelly's absence, but sometimes I think a mannequin stuck in a bucket of sand would be more helpful than Sully is these days.

Agree, the 10-15 Million that peeps were talking about  is about  5-6 Million  with a weight clause after this series.   I almost would rather see him be let go though.   He showed zero heart in the third last night.

[hwangjini_1]

Kelly needs to be able to shoot to provide value out there.  If his shoulder doesn't feel right, he wouldn't help the team by playing.

If it's me I try to figure out how to fight through it and be productive and let the coach pull me if I suck.

Maybe it's just my personality but I always want to play. I've played soccer games with a broken foot. Ran track events with a blister the size of my palm on my foot and still finished first. That was high school. This is the NBA playoffs. Kelly got to man up.

i have no idea how you know that olly has not done exactly this. pho had the best point so far, olly may honestly think he would hurt the team and maybe reinjury himself for no good reason.

[hwangjini_1]

Yes, yes, we know everyone here is incredibly tough and has played with two broken legs and a punctured lung. Kind of irrelevant.

We don't know how bad the shoulder is. Your shoulder is pretty important for shooting a basketball, and KO isn't playable without shooting ability. It could be a much better bet trying to see if we can get him healthy and THEN play him, than force him out there to please the peanut gallery. Do you really want him taking minutes from Jerebko right now if he's clearly playing hurt and missing shots?

hey!!! i played with THREE broken legs!!! 

ha, ha... very cute post. tp for you sir.

[Banner18now!]

Kelly needs to be able to shoot to provide value out there.  If his shoulder doesn't feel right, he wouldn't help the team by playing.

If it's me I try to figure out how to fight through it and be productive and let the coach pull me if I suck.

Maybe it's just my personality but I always want to play. I've played soccer games with a broken foot. Ran track events with a blister the size of my palm on my foot and still finished first. That was high school. This is the NBA playoffs. Kelly got to man up.

I agree, always question a player who has been cleared to play and it's a matter of pain tolerance and chooses to sit in the playoffs. 

[rollie mass]

look how a mild high ankle sprain is effecting crowder and his shot-last year as a rookie marcus suffered severe high ankle sprain and everbody was going he can't go to the hoop-bust
this year dislocated several fingers  can't shoot -bust
then a dislocated knee-worst three point shooter in league -bust
nobody is going chrowder went 1-11 don't shoot ,trade him -its crowder is hurt, not right ,70%,doesn't have lift
what about a ROOKIE playing at  less than70% no lift ,no first step-marcus doesn't even let anybody know  till mid summer he was in pain
+smart as a rookie spent his season injured and in recovery,not an easy task
i watched kelly come back from a sprain he was awkward and easily pushed around and couldn't shoot,couldn't get up for a dunk-
kelly is not, a big back to basket player that can just rebound or throw up three footers
if kelly could play -he would play-
this is the type of injury effects range of motion,not a hailine fracture or rolled ankle-you can't take a left handed three