Detroit Pistons: 3 things Luka Garza can learn from Kelly Olynyk
Detroit Pistons: Kelly Olynyk shows that a charge is as good as a block
Kelly Olynyk is not a high flyer and no one has ever accused him of being a great defender, but he is a smart defender who doesn’t hurt his team.
He is a guy who uses his high basketball I.Q. to make the right reads and rotations so that he can disrupt shots, get steals and take charges.
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Olynyk has never had more blocks than steals in a season and never will, as he is not a leaper or a guy who tries to challenge much at the rim.
Instead he uses quick hands and timing to get deflections and steals, averaging more than a steal per game last season, which ranked 4th among centers.
Olynyk was 10th in deflections last season and second in charges drawn among centers who actually played. Deflections and charges drawn lead to turnovers and are just as important, if not more, than blocked shots that often end up in the stands and returned to the team on offense.
Here you can see him watching Ben Simmons and making the right read as Simmons tries to euro-step on the fast break. Olynyk steps in front of him, timing it perfectly, and draws the charge.
This comes from knowing your opponent and being prepared defensively, which you can do even if you don’t have huge leaping ability or athleticism.