Miami Heat fans have spent most of this season hating on Kelly Olynyk for being a big seven-foot-tall sack of softness. Here’s the thing, though: big soft centers are usually more skilled than their bruising counterparts, so their wimpiness on defense and on the glass is counteracted by their ability to bamboozle the opposing defense with jumpers and crafty layups. And, in Olynyk’s case, their ability to be a primary playmaker for their team. Sometimes. Actually, just this one time.
Really, I think the problem with Olynyk is not even with Olynyk at all, it’s the fact that Bam Adebayo is on the roster with him. Adebayo combines the best of both types of bigman into an All-Star caliber player, and he makes every other big on the roster look like worthless doodoo.
Eleven assysts for Olynyk is a career high in that particular stat for him. Given that fact, I would petition Heat fans to please cease hating on him for at least one (1) week. If, after the week has elapsed, he is still a floppy-haired pussywillow with a gross goatee, the hate can resume. But with his play last night he has earned a one-week respite from the hate of his team’s fanbase.