C's "clutch" stats

[Eddie20]

This is via Chris Forsberg and it's highlighting Bradley's terrific clutch shooting. Smart has also shown some clutch shooting, albeit as a lesser sample size.

Boston Celtics fifth-year guard Avery Bradley hit a pair of late-game shots over the final 84 seconds of Friday's 100-99 win over the Denver Nuggets. It continues a recent pattern of Bradley stepping up with big-moment shots in late-game situations and begs the question: Does Avery Bradley have the clutch gene?

Bradley, even at age 24, is Boston's longest-tenured player. Recent trades sent away Rajon Rondo and Jeff Green, leaving the Celtics without a surefire go-to presence in late-game situations. But coach Brad Stevens drew up a play for Bradley that led to a 20-foot jumper with 25 seconds to play on Friday night and proved to be the decisive bucket.

After the game, Bradley bellowed with confidence.

"I knew the shot was going to go in before I even shot it. I was that confident," Bradley told reporters in Denver, according to Masslive.com. "I even slipped and I still was able to make it. I knew it was going to go in."

It got us wondering: Just how good has Bradley been in late-game situations? Maybe a bit to our surprise, Bradley owns the best field goal percentage among those with at least four attempts while shooting 57.1 percent this season in what the league defines as "clutch" situations (+/- 5 points in the final 5 minutes).

Bradley's 28 shots in that scenario is second highest on the team to only departed Green (30). And while someone like Rondo shot just 9.1 percent in "clutch" time (1 for 11 overall) this season, Bradley seems to embrace it, shooting 60 percent beyond the 3-point arc in those scenarios.

Even if you crunch the data for one-possession games (+/- 3 points) in the final minute, Bradley is still shooting 50 percent overall (3 of 6), far and away the best individual performance on a team in which the rest of players in that situation are a mere 5 of 36 overall (13.9 percent).

It's a small sample, but there's no denying the numbers: For this season at least, Bradley is Boston's most consistent late-game option and, on a team with no stars, he will continue to get a chance to be the focal point when games are in the balance.

The question now is whether Bradley can maintain that success, particularly as more shots come his way in crunch-time situations and defenses put more emphasis on him in those late-game plays.

[Rondo9]

Good to see a positive article on Bradley. Suprising to see how clutch he is this year.

[Csfan1984]

So this is the reverse of "Rondo in the 4th quarter" thread

[hwangjini_1]

So this is the reverse of "Rondo in the 4th quarter" thread

puhleeeezz dont mention rondo.

there is already another useless and endless battle taking place in another thread and let's not burn this up with those discussions as well. 

[Chris22]

We are playing better in the fourth quarter lately.

[GzUP617]

We are playing better in the fourth quarter lately.

 Where's your obligatory daily "Avery Bradley was a huge mistake" post ?

[Rosco917]

Because of his speed, and the shire elevation on his jump shot, he's able to clear his shooting hand very easily.

It has to be one of the best things he does, get free, stop, square up, elevate and release at the top of his jump. Its most likely the reason he shoots so many jump shots in the game. He will always able to do this, for this reason he will always be an option with the game on the line.

[Celtics4ever]

More proof that Sully is far from good especially when it matters.  I can't wait to hear TheFlex's excuse on that stat.

[Rondo9]

More proof that Sully is far from good especially when it matters.

If Sully is bad, then Green is awful.

[Nerf DPOY]

Bradley got off to a cold start, but when healthy has historically shot well. The hand wringing over his shot selection and reaction to his occasional 3-13 type game gets to nauseating levels here.

Remember a month or so ago when there was that narrative afoot "missed out on trading Rondo for future superstar Ben Mclemore" "Too bad we weren't able to trade Smart on draft night for Mclemore. Don't see an elite shooter like him come along often. Oh well"?? Between Bradley, Smart, and Mclemore, care to guess who's got the lowest % from 3 right now?

It is neck and neck, however...

[GzUP617]

More proof that Sully is far from good especially when it matters.  I can't wait to hear TheFlex's excuse on that stat.

 Hey now, most of his misses that end up as 2nd chance points should be considered "Sully Assist's".

[Chris22]

We are playing better in the fourth quarter lately.

 Where's your obligatory daily "Avery Bradley was a huge mistake" post ?

Sorry, I don't engage in personal attacks.

[Celtics4ever]

Hey now, most of his misses that end up as 2nd chance points should be considered "Sully Assist's".

Using the stats posted, Sully would only make 1/3 of the rebound chances in clutch time.  So that kind of blows that up.