Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
In all likelihood, this was the closest Kelly Olynyk will get to the Larry O’Brien trophy this year: sitting at Legoland with a group of kids, all within arm’s reach of a Lego model of the NBA championship award.
Still, expectations are higher now for the Boston Celtics. At a press conference last week, president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said he brought in established veterans to help win playoffs games. The Celtics are set to bring back most contributors from last season, when they rode a surprising wave into the postseason. There’s a different feel to this summer — a bit more continuity, at least for now.
“When you keep that core together and you play with each other, (it helps),” Olynyk said Thursday at Legoland, where he joined a group of kids from the Horizons for Homeless Children program on a field trip. “Last year, during that middle of the season, it was kind of tough because it was like a rotating door of guys. Every game you’re playing with a new guy. It’s like you’re playing pickup every game. Now that you’ve got that continuity, you’ve played with guys, a little bit of familiarity, you can start to really take off.”
MassLive – Kelly Olynyk: Continuity could help Boston Celtics ‘start to really take off’ (Photo Credit: BRIAN BABINEAU/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)
Kelly Olynyk would appreciate it if Danny Ainge would stop making so many changes to the C’s roster. All of the changes were messing with his mind and he clearly lost focus. All kidding aside, KO does have a point, but he could very well be part of that continuity of the rotating door of players until Ainge finds the right mix to deem his team a real contender. Would it be ideal if the Celtics were finally at a point where you could say, ‘ok, now THIS is a legit championship contender.’ Of course it would be and that is Ainge’s goal. We feel you, Kelly. We all want the same thing for this team but I think we all feel like Ainge is still a ways away from being satisfied. In the meantime, there are at least some people outside of Boston that feel really good about the Celtics, which leads us to:
On Page 2: ESPN analyst thinks the C’s are a top 4 team in the Eastern Conference
Can the Boston Celtics win a playoff series during the coming season? ESPN Insider Kevin Peltongives them a chance, slotting the Celtics as one of six teams likely to make the Eastern Conference postseason behind the Cleveland Cavaliers:
Consider the Celtics a sleeper to claim home-court advantage and/or win a playoff series. Boston had the East’s second-best record (20-11, .645) and fourth-best point differential (plus-2.9 PPG) after acquiring Isaiah Thomas at the trade deadline. While the Celtics didn’t land a star this summer, the addition of veteran Amir Johnson strengthens their biggest weakness, interior defense.
MassLive – ESPN Insider: Boston Celtics ‘a sleeper to claim home-court advantage and/or win a playoff series’
Technically, there is nothing invalid about any of the commentary by ESPN’s Kevin Pelton. Although I don’t think Amir Johnson will strengthen the interior defense all that much. The Celtics could possibly finish the year as a top-four team in the east, and they did finish last season on a great note. So coupled with KO’s wish of continuity and the additions of a handful of solid, helpful players, the Celtics could finish that high. It may however speak more to geography than reality as to how good this team really is. But hey, it’s not their fault they are where they are. You have to figure other teams like Miami will be better and that perhaps the Hawks will come crashing down more towards Earth. But after Cleveland, the east is one huge glob of blah.
And, finally… Sullinger is working it
One rep at a time to a new beginning. To thy own self be true pic.twitter.com/x4BaRRrmzA
— Coach John Lucas (@CoachJohnLucas1) August 6, 2015
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Like Olynyk, Jared Sullinger may be one of the players that falls victim to Danny Ainge’s non-continuity, continuity. For years, Sulligner has talked a good game when it comes to his conditioning, but at least for now it seems like he’s serious this time. The proof will be in his physical shape and stamina this year (and beyond). It’s a start, and it’s much more encouraging than it’s been in the past so we’ll see what happens come training camp.
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