Brad Stevens yells at Kelly Olynyk, Jared Sullinger for not shooting 3s


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It’s no secret that Brad Stevens loves big guys who can space the floor, but what happens if they don’t shoot open threes? Well, he doesn’t like that so much. Stevens so far for the Celtics hasn’t been a screaming and heated coach, however he was the other day. Avery Bradley was the whistle-blower, divulging in a recent interview:

“One thing I heard him say to Kelly (Olynyk) and (Jared) Sullinger. He yelled at them on the bench (during Wednesday’s preseason loss to the New York Knicks), ‘Don’t ever pass up an open 3.’ He wants us to take open, smart shots."

“Well, not yell, but talk loudly,” Bradley smiled Thursday after practice at the team's practice facility. “He doesn’t really yell.”

If Stevens is telling Sully to jack up some threes, than Rasheed Wallace would love to play for this guy. Stretching the floor and shooting open three pointers was huge for Stevens in training camp, he ended many practices with a shooting drill that features everyone on the team taking shots from downtown. Can you imagine the look on Doc’s face if Sully was shooting threes? He only attempted five triples last year, and was most likely promptly benched. Sully alluded to that fact as well, saying:

“I just have to let it fly, just let the flow of the ball come off my fingers and shoot the ball. I’m just thinking, feeling like somebody’s looking over my shoulder. I just have to shoot it,” said Sullinger.
He added, “It’s a big difference (from Doc Rivers). I have it, I just have to shoot it. Right now I’m kind of babying it, I just have to let it fly. You just have to let it go. If you’re open shoot the ball. Just make sure it’s a great shot. As long as it’s not a bad shot, he lets you shoot it.”

Sounds like Stevens will bench his big guys if they DON’T shoot open threes, contrary to “conventional” coaching wisdom. For the last few years every time KG nailed one of those 22-footers I said to myself, ‘Why can’t he take two steps back and knock down a three?’ Well Coach Stevens and I just became best friends because he agrees with me:
“We’re certainly not frowning on the 2-point shot. You’d prefer to get those after ball reversal,” said the coach. “But if you can choose between a 20-footer and a 3-pointer, it makes sense to shoot the 3-pointer.”

Jump on the Olynyk 3-point contest bandwagon now, because it’s happening.

Quotes courtesey of Jay King, MassLive.com



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