MEXICO CITY — One of Canada’s best players here so far was the team’s biggest question mark heading into this FIBA Americas competition.

Starting centre Kelly Olynyk missed three straight games after hurting his knee in Puerto Rico and until he took the floor for Canada’s opener against Argentina, it was unknown if he’d be able to play regular minutes during this Olympic qualifying tournament.

Olynyk, a member of the Boston Celtics, who grew up in Toronto and Kamloops, B.C., didn’t look sharp against Argentina, but gradually has emerged as one of the team’s top all-around players.

He has averaged 11.5 points (third on the team), 1.8 blocks (first) and 7.5 rebounds (first) per game.

Against Puerto Rico, Olynyk was one of the only Canadian players not to struggle early, draining a three, throwing down a big one-handed put-back jam and handing out some nice assists.

“The thing that I like is how he’s gotten better every game and it’s happened more at the defensive end than anything,” head coach Jay Triano said on Saturday.

“That just makes our offence flow better. He’s engaged, he’s in his stance when a guy’s coming off a screen and roll, he’s intimidating, he’s a 7-footer and he’s down in his stance. Coming off screen and rolls they’re not going to want to try to get into the lane.”

Olynyk ranks No. 2 at this tournament in blocks per game and is sixth in rebounding. As Triano indicated, Olynyk has looked sharper each time out.

“I was coming back off of a banged knee in Puerto Rico, so it was getting that first one out of me, second one, now starting to get comfortable out there, starting to make things happen,” Olynyk said.

Even at just 24, Olynyk is one of the team’s elder statesmen. He first played for Canada as an 18-year-old in Turkey, when Canada didn’t fare very well.

“Yeah it was tough. That was a tough tournament for us, I was real young there, like a lot of the guys are right now. Just having that experience I think it helps us in today’s game,” he said.

“It definitely helped me in my development and it’s good to have these young guys out here starting so early in tournaments and competition like this that’s really going to grow the game of basketball and inspires kids back home to do the same.

“I’’ve been, probably the most experienced guy in international competition on this team maybe other than (Aaron) Doornekamp. For us, it’s all about bringing guys together. We’ve got a lot of young guys here that haven’t been on a stage like this. They’ve played some big-time basketball, but not on this level where you’re fighting for your country.”

POWELL LIKELY

It sounds like Canada should have one of its best reserves back in the lineup on Sunday against Panama.

Dwight Powell, who missed Friday’s game after suffering an elbow strain following a hard spill on Thursday, has improved significantly.

“Dwight’s good. Real good night for him, the swelling’s gone down a little bit, he was out there today with it,” Triano said.

“If it recovers as well as it did in the last 24 hours, he’ll be able to play, which is great.”

Powell only averaged nine minutes a game in his three appearances, but made each of them count, supplying boundless energy, which sparked his team. Powell averaged seven points and 3.3 minutes on 64% shooting. He got to the free-throw line 12 times, fifth-best on the team, with by far the best free throws to minutes ratio.

MAJOR PLUSES

Plus/minus isn’t always the most useful stat in basketball, but it can be slightly illuminating.

Through the opening round’s four games, the team’s five starters had stellar numbers and two reserves also seemed to help Canada quite a bit while they were on the court.

Nik Stauskas, who has caught fire over the past three games, leads the way at +66 with Andrew Wiggins (+57) and Olynyk (+55) sitting right behind him. Cory Joseph (+48) and Anthony Bennett (+36) also rank highly, along with backup point guard Phil Scrubb (+29) and centre Robert Sacre (+31) who has played the second-fewest minutes on the team, but clearly made the most of them.

On the less encouraging side? Andrew Nicholson’s -16 against Puerto Rico on Saturday left him at just +6, Powell, who actually looked quite good before getting injured (hence why these numbers aren’t always the most telling) was only +4, Brady Heslip is only +10.