Post by FLCeltsFan on Aug 15, 2015 18:42:46 GMT -5
It's been awfully quiet here and so I decided to copy Lee's Summer Quandaries from the blog to post here. He has some very thought provoking articles and should give us food for thought here also.
SQ21 Olynyk a Stretch 5, Not a 4
Two years ago I opined that Kelly Olynyk's more natural position was center rather than power forward. I have seen nothing to reverse my decision in this matter. My feelings were that given Olynyk's limitations (primarily a lack of strength and limited mobility, especially side to side), he could address the strength factor (both upper and lower body) with the proper training regimen, but his mobility was a deficit almost impossible to change in any major way. The past two years of observation suggest to me that my analysis was spot on.
Over that time it has also become apparent that Kelly isn't, and likely never will be, much of a leaper. For his serviceability at center this limitation means that he will never be a deterrent soaring above the rim. What he has demonstrated is that his BBIQ serves him, and his team, well in that it allows Olynyk to establish position such that opponent's drives to the rim are diverted (or will draw charges). In this respect he does protect the paint (interestingly this is very similar to the way Kendrick Perkins manned the middle).
This paucity of lift, along with his short arms, has also translated to relatively poor rebounding. Many non-leapers have proven to be fine rebounders by establishing position and assiduously applying the art of blocking out their opponent. Kelly's intelligence and anticipation has served him well in positioning, both on his man and on other opponents crashing into the lane to vie for caroms. Thus far his efforts have been sabotaged his lack of strength and by his failure to reposition after his opponent reacts to Kelly's original effort. Olynyk is too smart not to adjust and reestablish (and re-reestabish, and re-re-reestablish) that inside position by shifting into each of the opponent's new path attempts, and he has already made some headway on building the base and upper body strength to hold his own. As we watch Kelly improve, think of Cedric Maxwell and Wes Unseld, who were both low-leapers who parlayed superior positioning, crafty anticipation, and relentless effort into superior rebounding ability.
On offense, Olynyk's strength lies very much within the realm of a stretch four. However those same capabilities (outside shooting, driving on the close-out defender, dishing to teammates when defenders collapse to shut off those drives) that a more nimble power forward defender might better contain, are even more devastating against (typically) less mobile centers. I've presented some issues and potential solutions to Olynyk's providing productive play in the middle. Are there sets of issues/solutions to his play at power forward?
I don't know of any regimen that has proven to be markedly successful in increasing a player's mobility and agility. Sure, toning his body should, in theory, provide somewhat better body control. Obviously working on a solid base, starting with a low center of gravity and a center of mass well balanced over properly positioned feet, would provide a good “start position.” Then appropriate foot movement (the oft mentioned slide), keeping the center of mass between the spread-foot base, and avoiding the crossing of feet which is the beginning of losing defensive position. These are basic defensive principles, but they don't make the feet move faster.
What might help? Many of the drills in dancing and martial arts would seem to provide some, perhaps a great deal of, benefit to basketball players, especially those not fleet of foot or agile on their feet. In fact I am surprised we don't hear of players employing trainers borrowing liberally from these disciplines. Actually, perhaps there are; we just don't hear high-dollar “pro” trainers crediting these other arts (especially dance with its accompanying biases, but wouldn't twinkle toes really, really help?). Still, in the world of the tortoise and the hare, a well trained turtle is likely just lifted into a faster slow, while the rabbit is running circles around his shelled opponent, often running backwards.
With the more and more prevalent stretch 4's, Olynyk's bulk and slow feet put him at a distinct disadvantage against his more nimble opponents. Quite the reverse is true against the majority of centers in the league. Against them, Kelly is a triple-threat player who can pull them away from the basket where not only are they at a disadvantage in covering Olynyk, but they are now unable to fulfill their primary purpose of clogging the middle and protecting the rim.
Already, at the offensive end, Olynyk leverages some significant advantages against opposing centers. If he can progress to at least hold his own defending the behemoths at the other end, then overall the edge goes to the Celtics.
Only 45 more days until camp.
SQ21 Olynyk a Stretch 5, Not a 4
Two years ago I opined that Kelly Olynyk's more natural position was center rather than power forward. I have seen nothing to reverse my decision in this matter. My feelings were that given Olynyk's limitations (primarily a lack of strength and limited mobility, especially side to side), he could address the strength factor (both upper and lower body) with the proper training regimen, but his mobility was a deficit almost impossible to change in any major way. The past two years of observation suggest to me that my analysis was spot on.
Over that time it has also become apparent that Kelly isn't, and likely never will be, much of a leaper. For his serviceability at center this limitation means that he will never be a deterrent soaring above the rim. What he has demonstrated is that his BBIQ serves him, and his team, well in that it allows Olynyk to establish position such that opponent's drives to the rim are diverted (or will draw charges). In this respect he does protect the paint (interestingly this is very similar to the way Kendrick Perkins manned the middle).
This paucity of lift, along with his short arms, has also translated to relatively poor rebounding. Many non-leapers have proven to be fine rebounders by establishing position and assiduously applying the art of blocking out their opponent. Kelly's intelligence and anticipation has served him well in positioning, both on his man and on other opponents crashing into the lane to vie for caroms. Thus far his efforts have been sabotaged his lack of strength and by his failure to reposition after his opponent reacts to Kelly's original effort. Olynyk is too smart not to adjust and reestablish (and re-reestabish, and re-re-reestablish) that inside position by shifting into each of the opponent's new path attempts, and he has already made some headway on building the base and upper body strength to hold his own. As we watch Kelly improve, think of Cedric Maxwell and Wes Unseld, who were both low-leapers who parlayed superior positioning, crafty anticipation, and relentless effort into superior rebounding ability.
On offense, Olynyk's strength lies very much within the realm of a stretch four. However those same capabilities (outside shooting, driving on the close-out defender, dishing to teammates when defenders collapse to shut off those drives) that a more nimble power forward defender might better contain, are even more devastating against (typically) less mobile centers. I've presented some issues and potential solutions to Olynyk's providing productive play in the middle. Are there sets of issues/solutions to his play at power forward?
I don't know of any regimen that has proven to be markedly successful in increasing a player's mobility and agility. Sure, toning his body should, in theory, provide somewhat better body control. Obviously working on a solid base, starting with a low center of gravity and a center of mass well balanced over properly positioned feet, would provide a good “start position.” Then appropriate foot movement (the oft mentioned slide), keeping the center of mass between the spread-foot base, and avoiding the crossing of feet which is the beginning of losing defensive position. These are basic defensive principles, but they don't make the feet move faster.
What might help? Many of the drills in dancing and martial arts would seem to provide some, perhaps a great deal of, benefit to basketball players, especially those not fleet of foot or agile on their feet. In fact I am surprised we don't hear of players employing trainers borrowing liberally from these disciplines. Actually, perhaps there are; we just don't hear high-dollar “pro” trainers crediting these other arts (especially dance with its accompanying biases, but wouldn't twinkle toes really, really help?). Still, in the world of the tortoise and the hare, a well trained turtle is likely just lifted into a faster slow, while the rabbit is running circles around his shelled opponent, often running backwards.
With the more and more prevalent stretch 4's, Olynyk's bulk and slow feet put him at a distinct disadvantage against his more nimble opponents. Quite the reverse is true against the majority of centers in the league. Against them, Kelly is a triple-threat player who can pull them away from the basket where not only are they at a disadvantage in covering Olynyk, but they are now unable to fulfill their primary purpose of clogging the middle and protecting the rim.
Already, at the offensive end, Olynyk leverages some significant advantages against opposing centers. If he can progress to at least hold his own defending the behemoths at the other end, then overall the edge goes to the Celtics.
Only 45 more days until camp.