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Pregame Post-Ups: Olynyk To Start in Place of Johnson

Marc D'Amico
Team Reporter and Analyst

Tuesday, May 23 - Game 4: Celtics at Cavaliers

Pregame: Game 3 – Stevens Goes Double-Bigs with Olynyk and Horford

CLEVELAND – Brad Stevens has broken his silence regarding tonight’s starting lineup for Game 4 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Kelly Olynyk is in, and Amir Johnson is out.

Stevens made the announcement 90 minutes before tip-off during his pregame press conference.

“Kelly, I think , has had a really good Playoffs overall,” Stevens said of Olynyk, who came off the bench to score 15 points during Boston’s Game-3 win. “I think that he complements all of those guys (in the starting lineup).”

Rather than running a more athletic lineup out there to start the game with the likes of Jonas Jerebko or Jae Crowder playing power forward, Stevens is instead opting to go with a double-bigs lineup with the combo of Olynyk and Horford. He believes their mutual ability to set teammates up for success will present issues to the Cavs.

“I think that’s one of the reasons why I think Kelly is a good fit with this group is you have two playmaking bigs in Kelly and Al, whether you play through the post or play through the seams,” Stevens said. “Both of those guys can put the ball on the floor and make passes to the next right guy.”

Horford, in fact, is Boston’s top assist man now that Isaiah Thomas is out for the rest of the postseason. He has dished out five or more assists during 11 of Boston’s 16 games this postseason, including two six-assist games thus far in the Conference Finals. Olynyk, meanwhile, ranks fifth among active Celtics this postseason in assists-per-100-possessions with an average of 4.7.

Their passing skills are garnering attention from Cleveland. Before Stevens even made his announcement that Olynyk would be in the starting lineup, Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue mentioned the passing skills of Olynyk and Horford as he discussed Boston’s offense sans Thomas.

“They have great cutters,” Lue said of the Celtics, “And Al Horford is a great passer. Olynyk is a great passer. When they post the basketball and they go into a split-action, we’ve got to be aware.”

Tonight, Cleveland will need to be aware from the very start, because Stevens is going with the latest version of the twin towers in Boston’s starting frontcourt.

- Marc D'Amico