We often wonder what opposing teams, their beat reporters and bloggers are saying about the Celtics. Here’s a look at some enemy chatter from Brooklyn.
That was… An ice-cold shower on an already lukewarm season. The Nets, already armed with average expectations, were confounded by Boston’s unorthodox spread-and-screen offense, giving up eight three-pointers and a whopping 62 points in the paint, and finishing the game with as many assists as turnovers. For one night, Kelly Olynyk looked like Dirk Nowitzki, leading eight Celtics in double figures with 19 points.
Picked, Rolled: The criticism du jour of and by the Nets was their pick-and-roll defense, which allowed the Celtics open season on the rim. Because the Celtics can spread most of their players to the perimeter — including, importantly, starting big men Jared Sullinger and Kelly Olynyk — any help defense near the rim meant open season from three-point range, and if it didn’t come early, Boston’s roll men had easy lanes to the rim.
Between Rajon Rondo’s triumphant return and the team’s surprising blowout win, I feel like Kelly Olynyk’s performance last night is getting over-looked. 19 points on 8-14 shooting is a damn good night. I don’t care that Brook Lopez didn’t play or that Mason Plumlee was saddled with foul trouble.
KO wasn’t Dirk like in that he didn’t do his damage from long range. 10 of his 14 shots came from within 5 feet.
But this is what I want to see from KO when a shot-blocking big man is out of the game. When he’s going up against Lopez or Dwight Howard, we’ll need him on the perimeter to spread the floor and open up the paint.
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