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Olynyk Trusts in Self, Torches Sixers in Philly

Marc D'Amico
Team Reporter and Analyst

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PHILADELPHIA – Jared Sullinger coined the phrase “In Kelly We Trust” on Dec. 3. This came on the heels of a 20-point performance from Kelly Olynyk.

That was the Olynyk teammates, coaches and fans have come to admire, but that Olynyk has not shown its face on a consistent basis this season.

The Celtics have quietly been hoping since Dec. 3 that Olynyk’s inconsistent trend would disappear. They want him to buy into the “In Kelly We Trust” mantra, putting as much faith in himself as those around him do each and every day.

Unfortunately, Olynyk followed his Dec. 3 performance up with four clunkers in his next five games. He scored an average of just 8.8 points over that five-game stretch while attempting an average of only 7.2 shots.

He looked passive, which is the exact opposite of what the Celtics want to see from their young big man. According to Brad Stevens, the Celtics would rather him “believe in himself the way we believe in him, no matter the circumstances, no matter the situation.”

Olynyk believed Monday night in Philadelphia. That’s for certain.

The 76ers had no answers for an aggressive Olynyk who searched to shoot and destroy. The 7-footer oozed with confidence throughout the night, torching any net that stood in front of him.

En route to a career-high 30 points, Olynyk nailed 12 of his 16 shots on the night. He converted on nine of his 11 attempts inside the paint and three of his five 3-pointers.

Asked to comment on Olynyk’s hot shooting night, fellow reserve Brandon Bass said, “He’s showing me and he’s showing everybody else why the organization believes in him so much. That’s what I think: 7-foot shooter.”

Interestingly, Monday’s contest was not the first time this 7-footer caught caught fire in Philadelphia. Olynyk’s previous career high of 28 points was also scored at the Wells Fargo Center, when he shot 10-of-19 from the field on April 14 of last season.

If that doesn’t sound like a coincidence to you, you’ve got company. Olynyk explained after Monday’s game that the colors of the floor and the nets pop more at Wells Fargo Center than they do in other arenas. This appears to help him concentrate on the basket.

“Yeah, actually, I do (like playing here),” Olynyk said. “It’s a nice place to play.”

Maybe the Celtics should investigate a different lighting system at TD Garden, because whatever Olynyk sees in Philly, it has him seeing red. He switches into attack mode all night long, pursuing shots that typically turn into passes.

One particular sequence from Monday night stands out in that regard.

Late in the first quarter, Olynyk hauled in a rebound at the defensive end of the court and took the ball out in transition. Rather than dish off a pass or set up the offense himself, the big man stepped right into a 3-pointer just seven seconds after his rebound.

Nothing but net.

More of the same took place on Boston’s next offensive possession. Olynyk stole a pass from Tony Wroten and stepped into a second transition 3 just 26 seconds after his previous such shot. This one actually missed, but Brandon Bass was there to clean up the rebound. Bass wisely tossed a pass right back to Olynyk, who let it fly yet again from long range, for the third time in 31 seconds.

Nothing. But. Net.

That is the definition of shooting confidence. Not a moment of hesitation passed through Olynyk’s mind as he attempted those three shots. He trusted in himself to make them, just as his coaches and teammates always have.

After watching such an electric and confident shooting display, many media members pegged the Celtics, including Olynyk, with questions about what spurred the performance. Olynyk pointed to a meeting he had with Stevens over the weekend.

“I talked to coach a couple of days ago,” Olynyk revealed, “and he just said, ‘We need you to be aggressive. Stay aggressive. That’s when you’re at your best and that’s when you’re helping us.’

“So that’s something I was really focusing on and I’ve been working on dialing in my shot and getting in a groove and it’s feeling good.”

Well, more like great. Olynyk was on fire Monday night. He almost set off the sprinkler system. Now the trick is for him to display that level of touch and confidence on a consistent basis.

“I think that what he needs to be able to do is do that every night,” said Stevens. “I don’t know if it’s as much of he wouldn’t have done it a couple of weeks ago as much as he might have done it a couple of weeks ago on a Monday but not a Wednesday.”

There’s no doubt that the Celtics will become a much more potent team if Olynyk begins to do this on Mondays, Wednesdays and so on. As Evan Turner put it, “When he makes shots, we’re a different team.”

The Celtics were a different team on Monday, blowing out the 76ers by 18 points on the road. This was due in large part to the fact that Olynyk was a different player on Monday, showcasing enviable levels of self-trust, self-belief and self-confidence.

This was the Olynyk Boston has trusted for a long time. It appears that Olynyk is beginning to trust in himself as well.