BC’s Olynyk starts and plays playmaking center for Raptors

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TORONTO — When starting point guard Immanuel Quickley left the Toronto Raptors, it wasn’t clear who would run the team’s offense. All-Star forward Scottie Burns, who normally takes over playmaking duties on the team’s second unit, was already sidelined with a broken hand.

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Enter 6-foot-11 backup center Kelly Olynyk.

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“Somebody’s got to do it,” Olynyk laughed Monday, a day after leading Toronto with 11 assists in a 135-120 loss to the visiting Philadelphia 76ers. “I’m just trying to help the young players and make their burden a little bit easier.

“Get some easy looks, some easy baskets and keep the offense a little bit more continuity and flow. Because when you don’t have guys that make a lot of plays for other people, the offense gets a little stagnant. Because it’s hard to play like an offensive player.” “

Olynyk, a Kamloops native, may be modest about his contributions as a playmaker, but he has 43 assists over the past five games, the most in five games in his 11-season career. He has a career-high four consecutive games with at least eight assists, the longest active streak in the NBA.

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“They started playing more through me,” said Olynyk, who played point guard in high school. “I think I’m the main playmaker.

“We have a lot of shooters and cutters and a lot of different players on the floor, but it’s like they play through me more at the top.”

Olynyk has handled playmaking responsibilities with Quickley (personal reasons), Barnes (broken hand) and Mississauga, Ont., swingman RJ Barrett (personal reasons) out of the lineup. He was also promoted to starting center due to Jacob Poeltl (fracture). His hand ligaments) are also damaged.

Barrett and Quickley have been mentioned as s to play when Toronto hosts the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, on a 13-game losing streak, and will likely be responsible for carrying the ball up the court, while Olynyk will remain at center. Poertl is scheduled to start, and the timing of his return is undetermined. .

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“(Olynyk) is extremely talented. He’s one of those players with a great feel for the game,” head coach Darko Lajaković said. “He’s patient.

“I think he’s gotten better with the ball, especially lately.”

Olynyk isn’t the only Toronto player tasked with doing something outside of his comfort zone as the team deals with numerous injuries and other issues. Garrett Temple, 6-foot-5, is Olynyk’s backup at center with Poeltl and Jontay Porter out (for personal reasons).

“He’s a point five right now,” Radjakovic said of Temple, 37, converting from small forward to center. “He’s a very smart player and knows the league very well. We’ve also simplified the offensive playbook very much so the players know what they’re doing and where they’re supposed to be on the court. It became easier to understand.”

“Being organized is the biggest thing we need and can do right now, and he’s very good at recognizing and putting us in those situations.”

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