Defensive presence
Defensively, Olynyk should find the Heat surroundings to his liking. Over the last three seasons, the Celtics have featured among the leaders in defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) under the guidance of head coach Brad Stevens. Last season for his part, Olynyk posted a defensive rating of 104.2, ranking him 11th in the league for centers who averaged at least 20.0 minutes per game.
But if you break down his numbers further, Olynyk’s contributions become even more impressive.
Despite coming fifth in the league in MVP voting, the Celtics’ Isaiah Thomas was a non-factor on the defensive end of the floor, posting a defensive rating of 108.6 for the season. In terms of Olynyk’s contributions on the defensive end, in the 75 games he played with Thomas resting, he posted a defensive rating of 96.7. This is a marked difference from his overall rating, and will be music to the ears of Spoelstra and his staff.
Joining a Heat team that ranked fifth in the league for defensive rating at 104.1, Spoelstra and Riley clearly see a player that will fit their system.
Despite averaging just 20.5 minutes per game, Olynyk ranked second on the Celtics in contesting shots at the defensive end, averaging 8.5 contested shots per game. This included 2.7 contested three-point shots per game, illustrating his versatility on that end of the floor. In fact, Olynyk ranked seventh among all centers for contested three-point shots, despite the six players ranked ahead of his averaging at least 30.0 minutes per game.
Furthermore, he was also second on the team in charges drawn, averaging 0.19 per game.
Whereas Whiteside has developed into one of the elite rim protectors in the game, he can be vulnerable when matched up against centers who have the ability to stretch out to the three-point line.
One such example last season was a game against the Brooklyn Nets, where the Nets’ center Brook Lopez nailed seven three-pointers, including six in the first half. But after playing 17 minutes in the first half, Whiteside played just three minutes in the second, with the reins handed over to the more agile Willie Reed.
As a result, the Heat outscored the Nets 38-17 to pull out a 109-106 win. Reed was a +34 while on the floor with a 66.0 defensive rating, while Whiteside was a -30, with a defensive rating of 144.9.
This is just one example of what Olynyk provide’s as a point of difference. A frontcourt of Olynyk, Whiteside and Johnson, although noticeably tall, has the ability to matchup on a variety of lineups.