MEXICO CITY – As you made your way around town, it was hard not to notice the love this city has for Celtics center Kelly Olynyk.
That’s because those who love the game here, have seen Olynyk at his best as recently as this summer when he dropped 34 points – the most he has scored as a pro – in a FIBA Americas Tournament game against Venezuela.
Olynyk’s familiarity with this part of the world certainly worked in his favor on Thursday, with the 7-foot center scoring 21 points off the bench to help Boston cruise to a 114-97 win over Sacramento.
Olynyk, like most of his Celtics teammates, was in a good mood after Boston (11-8) won its second in a row – both on the road.
“I don’t know what it is. Once I get across any border, my game elevates to a new level,” he quipped.
Olynyk’s teammates, aware of his time in Mexico City this summer, weren’t surprised to see him come up with one of his best scoring games of the season.
“He’s been here before,” said Jae Crowder. “You could tell he’s been here before.”
And to his teammates’ credit, they made a point of finding him more often than usual.
His 21 points came on 9-for-12 shooting from the field (3-for-5 on 3-pointers).
Olynyk’s 12 shot attempts were the second-most attempts he has had this season. In addition, it was just the fifth time this season he took 10 or more shots from the floor.
“It felt good,” he said, referring to getting 12 shot attempts. “I was aggressive, teammates found me.”
Among the shots made by Olynyk was a driving dunk after pump-faking Kings center Willie Cauley-Stein and then elevating for a powerful, two-handed slam in the fourth quarter.
And as the points continued to pour in for Olynyk, Sacramento made minor adjustments to try and take away some of his scoring opportunities.
But Olynyk, who is among the better passing big men on the Celtics roster, made the Kings pay by getting his teammates involved, finishing with four assists as well.
“He did a good job,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. “I thought all our bigs came in and did a good job. Obviously, Kelly making shots. That opens everything up for him and for others. It’s good that he had a night like this.”
But the challenge with Olynyk hasn’t been delivering these kind of games; it’s doing it with some level of consistency.
“Hopefully he keeps it going,” said Boston’s Avery Bradley.