The Kelly Olynyk Game

Kelly Olynyk delivered a career performance on the biggest stage he has ever been on

The Boston Celtics went into game seven against the Washington Wizards knowing what they needed to do in order to get a win. It always starts with Isaiah Thomas, who did more than his job both as a scorer and a distributor. With a nearly flawless close to the game, he once again cemented his status as a clutch player. Al Horford has set a standard as a shooter, passer and defender that the team depends on every single game. Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder‘s two way impact holds things together for this team, and it is always expected that Marcus Smart will be making plays all over the court.

Those are the things that the Celtics expect to get every single game, and they knew anything less from any of those roles and they would be in a lot of trouble against the Wizards. In a game seven, however, there will always have to be a bit more, and in the biggest game of this generation, it was Kelly Olynyk that put together the career game that pushes a team over the top in the highest pressure situation.

Olynyk had one of those games that millions of kids dream about on a daily basis. Olynyk had one of those games where everything he did worked and when that happens in the biggest game of your career, it is a moment that will stick with you forever.

If you looked at the sum total of everything Olynyk has been in his career and take everything good about his game, all of it was there in game seven. This was not just one of those games where Olynyk happened to be left wide open all the time. Olynyk attacked and he destroyed.

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Olynyk was more important finishing at the rim than he was as a three point shooter. The Wizards had absolutely no hope of finding an answer for the stretch five, and he put together the kind of game that could sway some GMs when it comes to contract negotiations this summer.

When you take into account everything that has surrounded Olynyk leading up to this game, it captures everything that makes a game seven so spectacular. Olynyk had hit double digit points just twice before in this series, and he failed to hit a single three pointer in three of the previous four games. Olynyk was playing some of his worst basketball of the season in this series, but that did not matter one bit.

The Celtics got absolutely nothing from their second unit in the game six loss, and that could have easily been the difference in the game. In game seven, Olynyk was every bit the difference. He personally outscored the Wizards second unit by 21 points.

Olynyk put in the hard work, and it payed off. Instead of just sitting around waiting for the open three pointers to be created for him, he dominated where he knew he had an advantage in the paint. He was bowing by players, and finishing strong through contact. Olynyk redefined what kind of impact he can have for this team. They always expect his play in the paint to be secondary. When it mattered most, he found that extra something that any team needs if they are going to win a game seven.

When you listen to what his teammates have to say about him, it is clear how important this performance is to this organization. He still may not have impacted the overall game as much as Thomas. but the little guy himself said that Olynyk was the MVP of the game.

After being bombarded by a flurry of media criticism about being dirty, Olynyk got the kind of redemption that will drive his critics crazier than any of his so called antics on the court. This really was one of those games where everything happened to go Olynyk’s way, but he put in the work. Olynyk did not force any bad looks, and he played his most intelligent game of his career.

Olynyk recognized every advantage the Wizards kept giving him, and he punished them the way John Wall has punished the Celtics in transition.

Olynyk finished with more points than everyone not named Thomas or Bradley Beal and he did the other little things that we take for granted with this team. Olynyk reaffirmed that he is an underrated passer with four assists, and even five rebounds is a positive for him.

Olynyk finally became the player the Celtics have dreamed that he may become throughout his career. The Celtics knew their biggest advantage against the Wizards was on the second unit, and Olynyk made sure he did not pass up that opportunity, leaving the starters out to dry like they did in game six.

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It may never be repeated, but if the Celtics can see this version of Olynyk against the Cavaliers, then he could make a huge difference in how competitive the series is. Olynyk just proved that he can be the best player on the court as he comes off the bench, and that is something that very few teams can account for. Not only did Olynyk bring home that game seven victory, he instilled at least the slightest amount of confidence that the Celtics can do what no believes is possible.