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Celtics Basketball => Celtics Talk => Topic started by: ScoobyDoo on November 12, 2012, 12:07:25 PM

Title: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: ScoobyDoo on November 12, 2012, 12:07:25 PM
1. When he was on the floor with KG, Pierce, Bass and Rondo last year, we were putting up some historic defensive numbers - particularly as long as KG and Rondo were there with him.

2. His bulldog mentality also has an emotional effect on the team - it's a little contagious.

3. Offensively, he was really starting to understand how to fit in, get his points off the break, slashing and occasional jumpers.

A) How much of an impact - once he's back in full swing - do you think Bradley will have?

KG
Bass
Pierce
Bradley
Rondo

And B)

How much will Bradley's return impact the effectiveness of the second unit?

Milicic / Collins
Wilcox /Sullinger
Green 
Lee
Jet / Barbosa
Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: Fafnir on November 12, 2012, 12:11:42 PM
I don't know if he'll effect the second unit, but the team sorely misses what he brought last year.

Intense ball denial and perimeter defense, some possession creation via steals and forced turnovers, and efficient scoring chances via cuts to the rim and transition buckets (his shooting has been replaced adequately so far).

Lee hasn't been productive enough compared to what Avery brought last year.
Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: scaryjerry on November 12, 2012, 12:34:15 PM
Best guard on the team outside rondo, we miss what he provided last season but there's no promise he will come back to that...at the very least he will bury Courtney lee on the bench
Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: blink on November 12, 2012, 12:35:32 PM
Well we have  certainly seen a lack of good on ball D by the guards this year.  Rondo has played good d at times.  There have just been too much dribble penetration by opposing guards for our rotations to withstand.  Once AB comes back it should get better.  How much, who knows?  Rondo's D skills seem to match up better with AB's, with Avery providing the hard on ball pressure that slows down the other team from getting in their sets.  And RR playing the passing lanes and playing off AB.
Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: Who on November 12, 2012, 01:16:01 PM
During that stretch in the latter stages of the regular season last year, I thought Avery Bradley was playing like a top 10 two guard.

Pivotal player for the Celtics. The extra weapon that takes them from quality playoff team to title contender.
Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: LarBrd33 on November 12, 2012, 01:20:54 PM
He's either a pivotal part of our franchise or an undersized Tony Allen that we'll be able to bring in off the bench to cause headaches for other undersized guards.

He showed some signs of being great, but he was also in the middle of a ridiculous shooting streak the last month of the regular season.  All-in-all, he only really got it done for a small chunk of games.  We are literally talking about less than 20 games.  That's about the same amount of games that Gerald Green had looked like a 20 point scorer in 2007.  Prior to those games, Bradley was a bench warmer... the year before that he was D-League fodder.  Shoulders are a perfectly valid excuse, but his playoff performance this year was pretty dismal.  As excited as I am about him, I have to keep reminding myself that it was the tail end of a lockout shortened season and he was shooting out of his mind.   Anyone who is sure how good this guy is has to be kidding themselves.  You can be no more certain of Bradley's superstardom than Kevin Seraphin. 

If Bradley actually has any trade value around the league... he might be most important in being one of the many pieces we use to land a quality big man.

Or maybe he's the future of the Celtics.  Dunno.  Can't wait to find out.
Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: pearljammer10 on November 12, 2012, 01:37:16 PM
He's important but he isn't a savior for us. I still think he is fourth or fifth on our guard on the roster. Rondo, terry (even if he is horrid on defense), and lee are all miles better than Bradley. Me personally I put barbosa in front of him as well. Bradley is important but who knows how he will react to double shoulder surgery. Shoulders are like backs and ankles, once you hurt one they are never the same and are easily lingering with injuries. I'm just worried about the further log jam at guard position when Bradley comes back... Especially when our best lineup involves rondo, pierce, green, kg and either bass or Wilcox.

Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: BballTim on November 12, 2012, 01:38:03 PM
During that stretch in the latter stages of the regular season last year, I thought Avery Bradley was playing like a top 10 two guard.

Pivotal player for the Celtics. The extra weapon that takes them from quality playoff team to title contender.

  I'd agree. If Bradley was healthy going into the playoffs last year the Celts would have had at least arguably the best starting backcourt in the playoffs.
Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: Celtics18 on November 12, 2012, 01:58:43 PM
He's either a pivotal part of our franchise or an undersized Tony Allen that we'll be able to bring in off the bench to cause headaches for other undersized guards.


I think the hope is that he's part Tony Allen, part Jason Terry.  If that's the case, then we've got ourselves a real nice player. 
Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: PhoSita on November 12, 2012, 02:02:14 PM
I strongly believe he's the missing piece in the starting lineup.  Putting him in the starting lineup, along with moving Bass into the starting lineup and putting KG at center, absolutely kickstarted this team last season.
Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: SHAQATTACK on November 12, 2012, 03:24:57 PM
When Bradley enters the game , it whole game starts to be played different on both sides of the ball.  At least that what I was seeing.

Bradley is like  turbo- boost to the Celtics....even the old guys catch a spark seeeing him work so hard.

So....if we have a healthy KG, PP, RONDO , WILCOX , BRadley, JET , Darko and BASS and a bucket load of luck we might be able to handle the HEAT by the end of the year .   
Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: Yogi on November 12, 2012, 04:16:03 PM
For the regular season, we'll win a few more games with him than without him. 

For the post season, we have a puncher's chance without Bradley.  We're a threat for the championship with him.

For the near future, Bradley will be our most important guard after Rondo.
Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: twinbree on November 12, 2012, 04:17:28 PM
Without an elite defense we're not a contender. Avery does so many things as a starter to maximize our defensive potential. Aside from his own impeccable man to man defense, he allows Rondo to roam and be disruptive an area where he excels, he helps our perimeter defense helping our bigs stay in position to rebound. He brings such tenacious energy on defense.

His speed, athleticism and defense combined with Rondo gives us one of the best backcourts in the league. And that's not even considering his fit on offense. I can't wait to see him come back and build on the chemistry he had with the starters last season.
Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: Kane3387 on November 12, 2012, 04:18:08 PM
Just one more month...
Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: xmuscularghandix on November 12, 2012, 06:54:18 PM
Unbelievably important. There isn't one statistical measurement that someone could point to that would sum it up, but when he's out there everything happens. The opponant's offense is affected, he helps force turnovers, his speed in transition helps Boston score easier off of those turnover, it appears that Rondo really likes playing alongside him, and his energy is so contagious that it raises the level of his teammates.
Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: lightspeed5 on November 12, 2012, 06:56:36 PM
one of the biggest things about avery coming back is putting Lee on the bench where he probably belongs.
Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: Mazingerz on November 12, 2012, 09:06:00 PM
Very very important. He is a trigger to our defense.
Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: BudweiserCeltic on November 12, 2012, 10:47:24 PM
Before the season started, he really didn't factor for me, but now that the season is going along, I think he'll become vital. It'll really transform our team both defensively and offensively, I miss his cuts to the basket, something I thought Lee would be doing more of.

Also, guard rotation will be vastly improved.
Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: More Banners on November 13, 2012, 01:27:18 AM
Working under the assumption that he comes back healthy, it comes down to the one thing that sets him apart.

Bradley is an all-NBA defender who is young as heck and just beginning to show an offensive game that, rough as it is, can put in 12 a night, including a few for the highlight reel.  His defense can give a whole team an identity, though.  He can take a game over in crucial minutes with stops and defensive intensity.

The other guards we have are literally a collection of 6th man candidates:  former 6POY winners in JET and Barbosa, plus Courtney Lee, who seems like a nice big guard that could look really good off the bench.  None of those guys are all-NBA anything, though.

So how important is Bradley?  It could be the difference between being good, middle-of-the-playoff-pack 2nd round regular hoping things come together (basically, that two 6POY = 1 Allstar at the right time), and being an elite team and perhaps contender.

I think there's a reason the other three SG's have had their greatest success as 6th men.  Terry's undersizedness and questionable D are masked, and his offensive talent is maximized.  Barbosa's aggressiveness and experience shine, and he can cover for his size.  Lee is just more of a journeyman.

Bradley is elite at something, and that sets him apart.  I think we have a stronger case  to be a contender with what Bradley brings than any other guard, save Rondo.

With a healthy Rondo and Bradley in the playoffs, we could probably get away with only one of the three other guards, and it probably doesn't matter that much which one it is.

Bradley is pretty important, IMO.  I think he's also first to get traded, so go figure.
Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: bfrombleacher on November 13, 2012, 01:43:21 AM
The lineup of Rondo/AB/Bass/KG/Pierce allowed 81 points per 100 possessions.
Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: jambr380 on November 13, 2012, 09:00:34 AM
Working under the assumption that he comes back healthy, it comes down to the one thing that sets him apart.

Bradley is an all-NBA defender who is young as heck and just beginning to show an offensive game that, rough as it is, can put in 12 a night, including a few for the highlight reel.  His defense can give a whole team an identity, though.  He can take a game over in crucial minutes with stops and defensive intensity.

The other guards we have are literally a collection of 6th man candidates:  former 6POY winners in JET and Barbosa, plus Courtney Lee, who seems like a nice big guard that could look really good off the bench.  None of those guys are all-NBA anything, though.

So how important is Bradley?  It could be the difference between being good, middle-of-the-playoff-pack 2nd round regular hoping things come together (basically, that two 6POY = 1 Allstar at the right time), and being an elite team and perhaps contender.

I think there's a reason the other three SG's have had their greatest success as 6th men.  Terry's undersizedness and questionable D are masked, and his offensive talent is maximized.  Barbosa's aggressiveness and experience shine, and he can cover for his size.  Lee is just more of a journeyman.

Bradley is elite at something, and that sets him apart.  I think we have a stronger case  to be a contender with what Bradley brings than any other guard, save Rondo.

With a healthy Rondo and Bradley in the playoffs, we could probably get away with only one of the three other guards, and it probably doesn't matter that much which one it is.

Bradley is pretty important, IMO.  I think he's also first to get traded, so go figure.

I, too, am a huge Avery fan and can't wait for him to get back into the starting line-up. His energy is contagious and the team plays defense at an entirely different level.

I also see him as a possible trade chip, though. With talk of Demarcus Cousins not being happy in Sacramento, it seems a deal could be made involving Avery, Bass, and a first [or something to that extent). I don't want to see him go anywhere, but this is the kind of deal that I wouldn't be heartbroken over. I really hope Ainge sees the value in Avery.
Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: ScoobyDoo on November 13, 2012, 01:01:18 PM
Yeah, the 81 point per 100 possessions is what I wasn't talking about in the OP. I didn't know what the stat was but thanks for listing it. Aren't those historically good numbers, very near the top in NBA history or something along those lines?


I think Bradley coming back at 100% will be a huge boost for the team as well. His defense is an elite, game changing skill.

I also think his offense, perhaps correctly so, is underrated at this time. As his handle gets better and better - and it has each year - his athletic ability is going to allow him to get anywhere on the court he wants, so:

1. I think his penetration scoring will improve
2. He will continue to get points off cutting
3. Off the break
4. He has a very good mid range jumper
5. His three point shooting needs to get better but isn't horrible.

I also like the depth it will add to our bench

Milicic / Collins
Wilcox / Sullinger
Green / Joseph
Lee / Jet
Barbosa

Something tells me if we stay healthy, this team has a good shot at becoming a freight train that nobody will look forward to getting in front of.

Looking forward to his return and hoping for full health and a fast re-acclimation.
Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: Lightskinsmurf on November 13, 2012, 03:21:30 PM
How important is bradley? I think if we have him healthy in last years eastern conference finals we win. I hope that answers your question. Bradley is elite on defense and i absolutely loooooooove him playing with rondo and the starters. Plus we can move terry and lee to the bench for good. Whatever hype bradley gets, its underrated.
Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: apc on November 13, 2012, 04:17:58 PM
Bradley the point guard slayer  :)
Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: j804 on November 13, 2012, 05:10:30 PM
If we are to come out the East and beat Miami it'll be because Bradley and Green being game changers
Title: Re: How important is Avery Bradley?
Post by: mctyson on November 13, 2012, 05:30:07 PM
He is an All-NBA Defensive First Team talent in his early 20's.  He can also shoot.  Those players don't grow on trees.  If he comes back healthy, he is VERY important.