Tag: Kelly Olynyk

Lonzo Ball returns to lead Pelicans past Christian Wood, Rockets

In his first game since March 18, Ball had 27 points, 9 assists, and a career-high 8 made 3-pointers as New Orleans won at Houston.

Even with Brandon Ingram (right toe inflammation) and Zion Williamson (right thumb sprain) out injured, the return of Lonzo Ball was still enough to get the New Orleans Pelicans a needed win at Houston.

In his first game since March 18, Ball returned from a hip flexor strain and connected on a career-high eight shots from 3-point range as the Pelicans pulled away late, 122-115 (box score). The 23-year-old guard led the way for New Orleans with 27 points, 9 assists, and 3 steals, overall.

With the win, New Orleans (22-27) pulled within a half-game of Golden State (23-27) for the No. 10 spot in the Western Conference, which represents the final spot in the play-in tournament for the 2021 playoffs. Houston (13-36) has the West’s second-worst record.

The Rockets were led in defeat by reserve big man Kelly Olynyk, who had 26 points and 8 rebounds — including five made 3-pointers. Christian Wood (15 points, 12 rebounds) had a double-double, while rookie forward Jae’Sean Tate added 19 points. Danuel House Jr. left early with a sprained right ankle, which could compromise his playing status moving forward. Head coach Stephen Silas had no immediate update, postgame.

Houston was took a small lead to the fourth quarter before being outscored by 10 points with the game in the balance.

See below for a compilation of highlights and postgame reaction. The Rockets, who have now lost four straight games, have a quick turnaround before Monday night’s home game versus Phoenix.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I8v-LmiCJU

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Kevin Porter Jr. battles Kyrie Irving as Rockets fade late versus Nets

Houston led by 18 points in the game’s opening minutes, but Irving (32 points, 12 assists) and the Nets took control in the second half.

Promising second-year guard Kevin Porter Jr. had a team-high 20 points (56.3% FG) and 6 assists, but the Houston Rockets lost Wednesday’s game to Kyrie Irving and host Brooklyn, 120-108 (box score). The star-studded Nets (33-15) have now won 19 of their last 22 games.

Houston raced out to a 24-6 lead in the game’s opening minutes and scored 42 points in the first quarter, but the Nets seized control as the game moved forward. Irving led the way with a game-high 32 points and 12 assists, while former Houston star James Harden added 17 points before leaving early with right hamstring tightness. Brooklyn sharpshooter Joe Harris scored 28, with seven made 3-pointers (58.3%).

Star center Christian Wood had 14 points and 8 rebounds for the Rockets, but he shot a disappointing 4-of-12 (33.3%) and had three turnovers. Danuel House Jr. scored 18 and hit 4-of-8 from 3-point range (50.0%), while veteran reserves Kelly Olynyk and DJ Augustin added 14 and 11 points, respectively. Usual starting point guard John Wall did not play due to a left knee injury, and his return timetable is unclear.

Houston’s offense increasingly struggled throughout the game as Brooklyn transitioned to more switching on defense, which head coach Stephen Silas made clear in his postgame comments (see below).

The Rockets (13-34) return to action on Friday night in Boston. For now, here’s a look at highlights and postgame reaction from Brooklyn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxmfqJooyXE

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https://twitter.com/AdamSpolane/status/1377448473977618438

Rockets to experiment with playing Christian Wood, Kelly Olynyk together

Starting with Wednesday’s game at Brooklyn, Houston plans to have stretches where both centers play simultaneously, per Stephen Silas.

Early in the 2020-21 season, Houston Rockets head coach Stephen Silas referenced the possibility of playing centers Christian Wood and DeMarcus Cousins together. However, it only happened for six minutes.

The team never gave a detailed explanation for its eventual change in plans, but the most simple one is similar to why Cousins was eventually released. At 30 years old and coming off several serious leg injuries, Cousins didn’t move well, defensively — and playing Wood at power forward and Cousins at center would have severely compromised Houston’s agility and versatility on the perimeter.

That doesn’t mean the Rockets are giving up on the idea of pairing Wood with a second big man, though. They’d just like for that big alongside Wood in those lineups to have more mobility. That’s where recent trade acquisition Kelly Olynyk comes in.

After being traded to Houston from Miami in the deal that sent out Victor Oladipo, Olynyk started in place of Wood, who was out with a sore ankle and then due to illness. With Wood back in the lineup on Wednesday in Brooklyn, Olynyk returned to his expected role as a reserve.

But in pregame comments, Silas told reporters that there would be stretches where the two centers would play together.

I want to see them together, for not a long stretch, but a good amount of time.

When Christian goes out, Kelly can play the five. And then when Kelly goes out, Christian plays the five. Then Jae’Sean goes out, Kelly plays the four, and Christian plays the five, together. That’s kind of how I have it, in my mind.

The first sub might be where Jae’Sean goes out, and we have Kelly go out there with Christian. And let’s see what it looks like with both guys on the floor. And then, when Christian goes out, let Kelly play the five by himself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoXHkMofQpc

Silas explained that the designations of who is the “four” and “five,” or power forward and center, were often interchangeable.

It’s very dependent on how they guard. If X five is guarding either guy, that’s a way we can draw a second defender. If it’s the four man, we may see some switching. So, who’s the four and who’s the five, on offense, kind of depends on how they’re guarding. But our offense is very much interchangeable, so that guys can be anywhere on the floor. As long as we’re five-out, I’m good. …

Kelly’s so versatile, and Christian’s so versatile. To have those guys out there together, makes sense to me. … I just see it, right now, as two versatile guys who are big and can put pressure on the defense, and also help our rebounding on the defensive end.

While Silas said his primary focus is on winning games in the short-term, whether the Wood-Olynyk lineups are successful could also have significant longer-term implications. For example, as general manager Rafael Stone indicated earlier this week, Houston has Bird rights to potentially help retain Olynyk once he becomes a free agent this offseason — and whether he’s able to play alongside Wood, who is the organization’s best player, could raise or limit Olynyk’s value to Houston.

Second, the success or failure of Wood alongside a more traditional big man could offer clues as to how viable dual-big lineups with Wood could be, in general. Hypothetically, if the Rockets ended up in a spot to potentially select University of Southern California (USC) center Evan Mobley in the NBA’s 2021 draft, it could be a useful case study.

The Rockets wanted to begin that type of case study with Wood and Cousins, but determined it wasn’t worth the effort. With Wood and Olynyk, it sounds as if the organization is ready to find out.

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Former Celtics Kelly Olynyk, Avery Bradley unlikely to be bought out

If Boston is to sign a buyout player, it seems unlikely to be one of these two former Celtics.

After missing out on the Andre Drummond sweepstakes in the 2021 NBA buyout market, Boston Celtics fans turned their attention to a pair of former Celtics who were expected to be potential buyout candidates after a midseason trade to a team with little hope of a postseason berth.

That team would be the lowly Houston Rockets — currently tied for the league’s second-worst record and fresh off of a historic losing streak — and the players old friends Kelly Olynyk and Avery Bradley. The duo had been dealt to the Rockets as part of a package for shooting guard Victor Oladipo on the March 25 trade deadline.

Given neither of the pair were likely to figure in the future of a team staring down at least a short-term rebuild, Bradley and Olynyk seemed plausible buyout candidates familiar with the Celtics’ system.

Even in rebuild, Rockets want veterans like Kelly Olynyk, Avery Bradley

Though Houston currently has the second-worst record in the West, the Rockets believe that veterans can help their rebuilding efforts.

In two games with Houston, newly acquired center Kelly Olynyk is averaging 20.5 points (60% FG) and 6.5 rebounds in 29.5 minutes per game as the fill-in starter for Christian Wood. In one of those outings, the Rockets won big at Minnesota, and the other was Monday’s surprisingly competitive loss to Memphis, a potential playoff team.

Even though the Rockets (13-33) clearly aren’t a playoff team themselves, first-year general manager Rafael Stone doesn’t believe his team is headed for a lengthy rebuild. He likes the young core in place, and having veterans such as Olynyk and Avery Bradley — acquired from Miami in last week’s Victor Oladipo trade — can help to supplement that core.

When asked about Olynyk and Bradley at Monday’s post-trade deadline press conference, Stone quickly noted that the Rockets have a team option on Bradley’s contract to perhaps keep him for next season, along with Bird rights to potentially sign Olynyk to a new contract.

Among Stone’s other comments from Monday:

One of the advantages of the rebuild construct we’re doing… I do think that there’s a place for veterans on your team, not just this year, but going forward. Stabilizing influences, helping your younger players develop in the right way, in a quicker way. I think having a good mix of old and young is actually attractive. It doesn’t mean that these guys will be the perfect fit.

I actually am very optimistic about both. Like I said, they’re both guys we really like, and have liked for some time. But you don’t know people until you work with them, and so I’m looking forward to getting to know them and working with them, and having them fit into this group. And then we’ll make decisions at the end of that time.

“We’re trying to find good fits,” Stone concluded.

Stone’s press conference can be viewed in its entirety below.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51XHW-5uEe4

Kelly Olynyk, Jae’Sean Tate impress as short-handed Rockets push Grizzlies

Houston (13-33) still lost Monday’s game to Memphis, but it wasn’t anywhere near the 49-point embarrassment of a month earlier.

It was approximately one month ago when the Memphis Grizzlies visited Toyota Center and humiliated the host Rockets in a historic and embarrassing 49-point defeat. While the result was still the same in Monday’s rematch, Houston found significantly more reasons for hope.

In Monday’s 120-110 win (box score) by the Grizzlies, the Rockets led by nine in the final stages of the third quarter — even with star center Christian Wood sidelined by illness. Eventually, Memphis (22-22) pulled away, with Jonas Valanciunas (30 points, 15 rebounds) feasting on the interior. His dominance was likely made easier by Wood’s absence. Third-year guard De’Anthony Melton, who was drafted by the Rockets in 2018, added 23 points off the bench in a return visit to Houston.

Nonetheless, the rebuilding Rockets (13-33) — who entered with two wins in their last four games — still had signs of optimism. Veteran big man Kelly Olynyk, who started in Wood’s place, had 25 points (58.8% FG) and 9 rebounds, while rookie forward Jae’Sean Tate added 24 points (50% FG) and 7 rebounds. Veterans DJ Augustin (13 points, 5 assists) and Sterling Brown (10 points) each scored double-figures off the bench, and they both connected on 2-of-4 shots (50%) from 3-point range.

The starting backcourt of John Wall and Kevin Porter Jr. struggled, scoring 19 combined points on 7-of-29 shooting (24.1%).

Overall, though, it was a relatively encouraging night for the Rockets, who held their own deep into the game with a potential Western Conference playoff team — even with Wood sidelined. Wood appears likely to return as soon as Wednesday, when the Rockets have their second and final meeting with the Brooklyn Nets and former teammate James Harden.

For now, here’s a look back at Monday’s highlights and postgame reaction by Olynyk, Tate, and head coach Stephen Silas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv1o5K_zHcA

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Kevin Porter Jr. makes epic return as Rockets get revenge in Minnesota

In a convincing win for Houston, Porter scored 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting (66.7%) from the field, including 3-of-5 on 3-pointers.

One night after a historic collapse versus the NBA’s worst team by record, the Houston Rockets got some revenge on that same floor.

Even with star center Christian Wood sidelined with a sore right ankle, the Rockets cruised past the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday, 129-107 (box score). Houston scored 41 points in the first quarter and raced out to a 29-point lead before halftime. It was a stark contrast from Friday, which represented only the fourth NBA game in the last 25 years in which a team went scoreless over the final 7:30 of the fourth quarter.

For the Rockets (13-32), who were on a historic 20-game losing streak earlier in the week, it’s their second victory in four games since. With the win, Houston increased its lead over Minnesota (11-35) to 2.5 games in the race to avoid last place in the Western Conference.

After missing the last three games with right quad soreness, second-year guard Kevin Porter Jr. returned and scored a team-high 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting (66.7%), including 3-of-5 on 3-pointers (60.0%). Part of the motivation behind Thursday’s decision to trade Victor Oladipo was reportedly to give Porter a consistent role as a starter, and the 20-year-old took full advantage in his first opportunity since the deal.

Another standout was newly acquired big man Kelly Olynyk, who started in place of Wood for his Houston debut and had 16 points (4-of-6 on 3-pointers), 4 assists, and 3 steals in 25 minutes. DJ Augustin added 20 points and 4 assists in 24 minutes off the bench, while Sterling Brown scored 16 points on 4-of-6 shooting (66.7%) on 3-pointers. Veteran floor general John Wall had 13 points and a game-high 12 assists.

Star center Karl-Anthony Towns led the Timberwolves with 27 points and 15 rebounds, while rookie Anthony Edwards also scored 27. However, the majority of those points came in extensive garbage time, with the Rockets in complete control over the game’s final three-plus quarters.

The Rockets will return to action when Memphis visits Houston’s Toyota Center on Monday night. For now, here’s a look back at highlights and postgame reaction from Saturday night in Minneapolis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFm4qJGDIpQ

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Kelly Olynyk starts for Rockets, Christian Wood out with sore right ankle

Olynyk was acquired from Miami in the Victor Oladipo trade. For Wood, it’s the same right ankle that he previously sprained twice.

Star center Christian Wood was a late scratch before Saturday night’s game at Minnesota with right ankle soreness. It’s the same right ankle that Wood has sprained twice this season, including a serious injury on Feb. 4 that caused him to miss nearly six weeks of games.

Head coach Stephen Silas will update Wood’s status postgame. Because the team used the term soreness, rather than sprain, it would seem to point to the Rockets being erring on the side of caution on the second night of a back-to-back — as opposed to any sort of new injury.

Entering Saturday, the Rockets (12-32) had lost 22 of 23 games and were buried in second-to-last place in the Western Conference standings. Thus, with a playoff run virtually impossible in 2021, the team has every incentive to be cautious with injuries. That’s especially the case when it involves a rising star like Wood, who is only 25 years old.

In his first season with the Rockets, Wood is averaging 21.5 points (55.1% FG, 37.9% on 3-pointers) and 9.8 rebounds in 31.0 minutes.

Starting in Wood’s place was newcomer Kelly Olynyk, who was acquired from Miami (along with veteran guard Avery Bradley) in Thursday’s trade sending out Victor Oladipo. A 6-foot-11 big man, the 29-year-old averaged 10.0 points and 6.1 rebounds in 26.9 minutes with the Heat.

“Kelly, he’s not just a shooter,” Silas said of Olynyk. “I think sometimes, he gets kind of put in a box as if he’s just a pick-and-pop shooter, and he can do so much more. He can put the ball on the floor, he can dribble-handoff. He creates action, and he’s a stout defender.”

Silas started Olynyk at center on Saturday alongside John Wall, Kevin Porter Jr., Sterling Brown, and Jae’Sean Tate.

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Rockets coach Stephen Silas sees value in Avery Bradley, Kelly Olynyk

Though Houston’s trade return for Victor Oladipo was considered underwhelming by many, the head coach pointed out some positives.

Veteran guard Avery Bradley and center Kelly Olynyk are with the Rockets in Minnesota, but neither played in Friday’s game, since their post-trade physicals are still in the process of being finalized.

While many observers around the league were underwhelmed by Houston’s trade return for Victor Oladipo, head coach Stephen Silas is focused on the positives. In comments before Friday’s tipoff at Target Center, Silas offered initial impressions of the veteran duo from Miami.

“They’re here, but the physicals are pending and whatnot, so they’re not available,” said Silas, noting that the trade was executed only moments before the team’s flight to Minnesota. As a result, Silas said he hadn’t yet had an opportunity to map out his full plan for how to use them.

I’ve thought about [their roles] a little bit. I haven’t thought about it enough to really give you a good answer.

I envision Avery kind of being a multi-purpose guy. He’s one of the best one-on-one defenders in the NBA over the last 10 years. He’ll have that role. He’ll shoot his spot-ups, and he’ll use his veeran savvy.

And Kelly, he’s not just a shooter. I think sometimes, he gets kind of put in a box as if he’s just a pick-and-pop shooter, and he can do so much more. He can put the ball on the floor, he can dribble-handoff. He creates action, and he’s a stout defender.

As far as how that fits into the group, I’m going to have to do a little bit more study tonight and tomorrow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG3e3IC6lY0

Now 30 years old, Bradley is averaging 8.5 points in 21.1 minutes per game this season, and he’s shooting 42.1% from 3-point range. In addition to perimeter defense, Bradley’s outside shot could help a Houston squad that ranks dead last in the NBA in 3-point accuracy.

Meanwhile, Olynyk averaged10.0 points and 6.1 rebounds in 26.9 minutes per game with the Heat. The 29-year-old is in the final year of his existing contract, while Houston has a team option on Bradley’s deal to potentially retain him for the 2021-22 season, if they desire.

The Rockets (12-31) entered Friday with 21 losses in their last 22 games, so any contributions by the newcomers could represent improvement.

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