Commentary
Sullinger a silver lining
Rookie gaining Celtics' trust (and crunch-time minutes) with smart, aggressive play
Updated: January 3, 2013
By Greg Payne | ESPNBoston.com
WALTHAM, Mass. -- Ask Kevin Garnett or Rajon Rondo about the Celtics' losing ways this season, and they'll tell you what you expect to hear: It stinks, it's frustrating, and maybe even a little disturbing given the franchise's success in recent seasons.
Rondo admitted before Thursday's practice that he's "a sore loser" and made it clear the team's four-game losing streak and overall 14-17 record aren't sitting well with him. When asked if any of his teammates fall into the sore loser category with him, Rondo said he didn't want to pass judgment on anyone else. But one guy he can count on being in that corner with him is rookie Jared Sullinger.
Sullinger's stock has steadily risen all season, and it's becoming more and more evident that head coach Doc Rivers and the rest of the team are showing more faith in their first-year big man. In Wednesday's 93-83 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, Sullinger was on pace to play the entire fourth quarter, alongside the likes of Garnett, Rondo, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry, until he fouled out with 1:26 to play.
AP Photo/Elise Amendola
Sullinger, grabbing a rebound against Memphis Grizzlies center Hamed Haddadi on Wednesday, was on pace to play the entire fourth quarter before he fouled out.
One would think the fourth-quarter assignment -- no small task for a rookie in this Celtics era -- would have boosted Sullinger's spirits. But after the game, he said the loss was the only thing on his mind.
"It's pretty cool [playing down the stretch], but we lost, so it doesn't really matter," Sullinger said. "But, gaining [Rivers'] trust is kind of helping my comfort level out there on the floor. But, at the same time, we lost, so it doesn't really mean anything."
Sullinger's point is well-taken, but the fact that his role continues to blossom isn't an accident. Sullinger finished Wednesday's game with two points on 1-of-6 shooting and five rebounds, but it was his effort, plain and simple, that kept him on the floor and aided a furious Celtics rally that came up just short in the final minutes. He pulled down three of his five boards in the fourth quarter, one coming on the offensive end, and he was active defensively alongside Garnett.
The Celtics have been searching for silver linings in the midst of their inconsistent play all season, and Sullinger might have found a personal one: He's not used to losing, and the energy he's shown is all part of an effort to help turn the team around. He said after Wednesday's loss that he had never lost consecutive games in his basketball career prior to this season.
"I think this is the first time in my career losing two in a row. I've never lost two in a row," said Sullinger, perhaps momentarily forgetting that the Celtics have lost two or more games four times this season already. "I'm so not used to it. But I think that's what's driving me to play harder and harder every game, just trying to help the team win in any aspects of the game.
"I'm learning how to let go of losses. That's one thing I'm learning how to do that, and understanding that every day is a new day to get better. So, I'm not holding onto the past. If this slide helped me do anything, it's learning how to let go."
cont...
