The Phoenix Suns were hanging around with the Boston Celtics throughout the majority of Friday night’s first half. Little did they know, a Canadian storm was brewing.
And it didn’t take long to destroy everything in its path.
This storm stood in at 7-feet tall. Its flawless hair waved gracefully in the air. Its soft touch was ironically devastating.
This was Canadian Storm Olynyk, and it tore right through the heart of Phoenix.
Kelly Olynyk caught absolute fire during the final minutes of the first half. He scored 13 consecutive points for Boston – and he did so with pure bravado – over a span of just two minutes and 24 seconds.
He first splashed the Suns with a wave from long distance, drilling a trio of 3-pointers. The first came from the top of the key. The second came from the left wing. The third, a no-doubter, came from the right wing; he was backpedaling the second the ball left his fingers.
Those threeballs put Boston on top 61-45 at the 1:40 mark of the second quarter. But he wasn’t done.
The Canadian finished his deadly barrage with consecutive baskets from inside the paint. Olynyk put home a running layup, then he finished his devastating flurry by blowing past his defender along the baseline and smoothly dropping in a reverse layup off the glass, as if his name were Michael Jordan.
There was nothing left of Phoenix when this run was over. The proverbial sun had set.
Boston had pulled ahead by 18, and it never looked back from that point on as it cruised to a 117-103 victory.
Kelly Olynyk sparked Boston’s game-winning run. Olynyk also scored a team-high 21 points. Jared Sullinger even logged his team-leading 11th double-double of the season, and Isaiah Thomas scored 19.
But this spot is all about Marcus Smart tonight.
Smart put together the most impressive all-around performance of his young career. Yeah, he went triple-doubling for the first time.
The second-year point guard, who had struggled since his return from a knee injury, was dynamic throughout Friday night’s game. He set new career highs in both assists (11) and rebounds (11), which also accounted for game highs. He also tossed in 10 points and pitched in two steals and two blocked shots.
Suffice it to say that Boston was pretty darn good while he was on the court. The C’s outscored Phoenix by nine during his 32-plus minutes of action, and that number surely would have been much higher had Boston not been walking through a breezy win.
Congratulations, Marcus, and welcome to the triple-double club.
Brad Stevens on Marcus Smart’s triple-double-and-then-some performance.
