Should Celtics keep Olynyk in their starting lineup?
There's a direct correlation between the Boston Celtics' success and how Kelly Olynyk plays basketball. When he crushes it, they win. When he flails around and is unproductive, they lose.
On Monday night, Brad Stevens inserted the third-year big man into his starting lineup, replacing Jared Sullinger. The move paid off in that game, but should they keep him there?
Here's a closer look from CBS Boston's Brian Robb:
In the 18 Celtic wins that Olynyk has participated in this season, the third-year big man has averaged 12 points, 5.1 rebounds, 50 percent shooting from the field and 43 percent from 3-point range. Compare that to Boston’s 15 losses, and you’ll find some dramatic drop-offs in the play of the Gonzaga product. His points per game average gets cut nearly in half from (12-to-6.1). The same goes for his rebounding (5.1-to-2.9). Olynyk’s shooting percentages also fall off a cliff in those losses, down to 37 percent from the field and 31.6 percent from beyond the arc.
Olynyk is averaging 16 points, six rebounds and two assists per game as a starter (a three-game sample size) this season. In those 93 minutes, he's also shooting 50 percent from deep and nearly 60 percent overall from the floor.
Stevens has said the loss of Avery Bradley's outside shot in Boston's starting lineup necessitated a move like this, but the Celtics may want to keep things like they are even when Bradley returns.
Good things happen with Olynyk on the court, and he should be averaging way more than 20 minutes per game.
