Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big storyline. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
On a night in which the Celtics had few answers for slowing down one of the league’s most talented offenses, Sullinger put forth the kind of effort that makes you wonder what his ceiling is. Sure, he missed a couple of makeable shots and he turned the ball over four times, but, playing through lingering soreness in a bruised right knee, Sullinger proved again that he’s been Boston’s most consistent player this season.
So we’ll say it again: Sullinger might be the most entrenched building block on this team as it determines whom it will build around during this transition phase. The combination of a rookie contract and a rising ceiling makes Sullinger the ideal sort of player to construct around.
ESPN Boston – Sullinger tries to put C’s on his back
I’m absolutely giddy about Jared Sullinger. I loved everything about his performance last night. The hunger, the confidence, the shot selection, it was all there. While we’re waiting for Jeff Green to seize an alpha-dog spot on this team, Sullinger is going to beat him to it.
He might be undersized, but the man creates space beautifully with his body before lofting his soft half-hook shot. It’s the perfect shot for his game (I’ll never understand why more big men fail to develop one).
One thing on his season shot chart stands out:
Sullinger is average in the paint. I’m betting most of the misses are due to height mismatches against centers. As Sully’s game evolves, he’ll turn those misses into makes or free throws.
What about those three pointers?
“Gotta keep shooting with confidence,” said Sullinger. “My brother, Julian, always tells me, if I’m going to shoot it, shoot it. Stop acting like somebody’s looking over my shoulder if I miss. That’s what I did [Friday] after I made the first one, just kept shooting.”
I’m still not crazy about Sullinger behind the 3-point line. I’d rather he develop a steady mid-range jumper, a la Kevin Garnett, than be concerned with 22-footers. The extra 2-feet make a big difference in form.
Related links: CSNNE – Sullinger puts it all together | Herald – Sullinger shapes up as tour de force
The rest of the links:
Globe – Celtics confidence takes a beating | Young C’s given lesson | Green, Rondo, Wallace on all-star ballot | CSNNE – Stevens: Have to play at our level | Blazers shoot down Celtics | Herald – Cs don’t stop trifecta | Baby steps by Pressey | ESPN Boston – Leftovers: Lee aids reserve squad | Cs can’t overcome lapses in focus |
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