Stevens want AB to get back to his defensive roots

[BudweiserCeltic]

i can't help but think this has something to do with the team having more depth at the guard positions than last year. avery can afford to go all out because they can throw smart out there to pick things up where he leaves off defensively. also avery won't need to be as much of the offense so can afford to expend more on defense. i think it was the right strategy for last year, and the correct adjustment for this year.

We had a lot of depth in the guard positions last year as well, particularly from a SG standpoint. Lee was completely underused even though he was having pretty much the most efficient year of his career and among the leaders in the league on that regard.

But yeah, we're even deeper this year on that regard.

[JBcat]

i can't help but think this has something to do with the team having more depth at the guard positions than last year. avery can afford to go all out because they can throw smart out there to pick things up where he leaves off defensively. also avery won't need to be as much of the offense so can afford to expend more on defense. i think it was the right strategy for last year, and the correct adjustment for this year.

Courtney Lee was supposed to be the other defensive stopper in the backcourt last year, but I was a little underwhelmed with his play on that end.  Crawford certainly wasn't a defensive stopper, and Bayless not really later on.  Speaking of which anyone notice Crawford signed in China?  I can't believe there wasn't at least 1 team interested in him.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Can he also get him to NOT pass the ball ...?

[Tr1boy]

AB and Smart are going to be one heck of a defensive duo

Rondo can take his time coming back

[crimson_stallion]

Wow...you mean that both Avery Bradley AND Rajon Rondo are going to go back to pressing on defence?

I would have to say that a backcourt rotation of Rondo, Bradley, Pressey and Smart would surely have to be (by far) the best defensive backcourt rotation in the entire league.  Can anybody think of a better one??

As for Rondo defending the off-guards, I don't think you'll see much of that.  I think you'll find that most of the time it will be Rondo+Bradley or Smart+Bradley or Rondo+Smart in the backcourt. 

In the first case, I imagine Bradley will defend the SG and Rondo will defend the PG.

In the second case, I imagine Bradley will defend the PG and Smart will defend the SG (but will switch positions on offense).

In the third case, I imagine Rondo will defend the PG and Smart will defend the SG. 

I honestly believe that this is going to be one hell of a three man rotation, and I think a lot of people throughout the league are dramatically underestimating the impact these three guys will have. 

Then consider the fact that you also have Pressey (himself, an exceptional on-ball defender) as your third string PG and Thornton (who can score in bucketloads at times) your third string SG.

Even at the SF spot, we still have incredible depth with Jeff Green as the starting SF, Evan Turner as the backup (he'd be a starter on many teams if Indiana didn't help him ruin his reputation) and Gerald Wallace as a third string SF. 

Plus you have Young who is basically your fourth string SG/SF.

That is one hell of a deep roster through the first three positions and gives the Celtics a LOT of versatility.  It doesn't really matter what type of lineup you're looking for, he has a solution...

Defensive rotation:
Smart, Bradley, Wallace

Ball movement:
Rondo, Smart, Turner

Shooting:
Bradley, Thornton, Green (yeah I know, not optimal - short spurts only)

Slashing:
Rondo, Smart, Green

Big:
Smart, Turner, Green

Small/athletic:
Pressey/Rondo, Bradley, Green

Rebounding:
Rondo, Bradley, Turner

Overall:
Rondo, Bradley, Green

The possibilities really are endless.  The only thing the team truly lacks is a legit PG with an outside shot...Bradley or Thornton would probably have to fill that role. 

[incoherent]

Im pretty sure the idea of Avery not pressuring on D last year was his agent's idea. The best way to get paid in this league is to put the ball in the hoop and AB had to prove that in a contract year.

You guys can blame Brad but I kinda doubt Brad had any say in it. Of course, AB loves defense, so he's more then willing to go back to defense now that he has secured his millions. 

All this aside, this pumps me up. The Honey Badger is back!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klEhx2FQe50

No, he actually said it out of his mouth that he wanted AB more off the ball. Be a better team defense player instead of pressuring all the time.

Avery:

“They want me to be disciplined, pick my spots every now and then, pick up fullcourt but get back and play angles. They’re just trying to make me into a great team defender, as well as an individual defender.”

Brad:

Explaining the move, head coach Brad Stevens said, “I think what people think Avery’s really good at is true, is picking the ball up the court. But he can be really, really good off the ball. And that’s where we think we can get even better, is off the ball.

http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2013/10/boston_celtics_news_2013_avery_3.html

Did you expect them to say "im in a contract year so to get paid I'm going to focus more on offense then defense"? No of course they come up with " strategy" to explain him trying to earn a contract through offense.

If this was brads idea last season then why after just 1 season does he completely change his mind? Come on its obviously a contract thing not a "strategy" thing like they have spun it.  You can't honestly believe that this has nothing to do with his contract being in place now.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Im pretty sure the idea of Avery not pressuring on D last year was his agent's idea. The best way to get paid in this league is to put the ball in the hoop and AB had to prove that in a contract year.

You guys can blame Brad but I kinda doubt Brad had any say in it. Of course, AB loves defense, so he's more then willing to go back to defense now that he has secured his millions. 

All this aside, this pumps me up. The Honey Badger is back!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klEhx2FQe50

No, he actually said it out of his mouth that he wanted AB more off the ball. Be a better team defense player instead of pressuring all the time.

Avery:

“They want me to be disciplined, pick my spots every now and then, pick up fullcourt but get back and play angles. They’re just trying to make me into a great team defender, as well as an individual defender.”

Brad:

Explaining the move, head coach Brad Stevens said, “I think what people think Avery’s really good at is true, is picking the ball up the court. But he can be really, really good off the ball. And that’s where we think we can get even better, is off the ball.

http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2013/10/boston_celtics_news_2013_avery_3.html

Did you expect them to say "im in a contract year so to get paid I'm going to focus more on offense then defense"? No of course they come up with " strategy" to explain him trying to earn a contract through offense.

If this was brads idea last season then why after just 1 season does he completely change his mind? Come on its obviously a contract thing not a "strategy" thing like they have spun it.  You can't honestly believe that this has nothing to do with his contract being in place now.

Because it didn't have the effect he expected/wanted? Seems quite simple and straightforward to me.

[sed522002]

Did you expect them to say "im in a contract year so to get paid I'm going to focus more on offense then defense"? No of course they come up with " strategy" to explain him trying to earn a contract through offense.

If this was brads idea last season then why after just 1 season does he completely change his mind? Come on its obviously a contract thing not a "strategy" thing like they have spun it.  You can't honestly believe that this has nothing to do with his contract being in place now.

Part of being a coach is evaluating the effectiveness of decisions..I'm assuming that's what he did. You're sounding like Brad was helping AB get a better contract. Did you not read the link that was posted from last October?

[nickagneta]

Wouldn't surprise me if AB's been pressuring himself and getting down for not being able to keep up with Thornton's shooting--and maybe KO's, JG's, and JY's as well. Refocusing on his defense may also end up helping his offense if it helps to take the pressure off.

So your belief is that Bradley sees Thornton, Olynyk, Green and Young shooting the ball, thinks  "I can't shoot as well as they do so I better start playing defense again"?

You really think that?

The man is a professional athlete that shot almost 40% from three last year and has done it twice in his 4 year career. He's not some high school teenager with a confidence problem.

He's going to go back to playing defense hard and pressuring the ball because after his coach asked him to disregard playing his usual defense and to shoot a whole lot more last year his coach is asking him to go back to being the pressuring ball hawk he was every year prior to that.

Your thought process makes absolutely no sense to me.

[mgent]

Wouldn't surprise me if AB's been pressuring himself and getting down for not being able to keep up with Thornton's shooting--and maybe KO's, JG's, and JY's as well. Refocusing on his defense may also end up helping his offense if it helps to take the pressure off.

So your belief is that Bradley sees Thornton, Olynyk, Green and Young shooting the ball, thinks  "I can't shoot as well as they do so I better start playing defense again"?

You really think that?

The man is a professional athlete that shot almost 40% from three last year and has done it twice in his 4 year career. He's not some high school teenager with a confidence problem.

He's going to go back to playing defense hard and pressuring the ball because after his coach asked him to disregard playing his usual defense and to shoot a whole lot more last year his coach is asking him to go back to being the pressuring ball hawk he was every year prior to that.

Your thought process makes absolutely no sense to me.

Not to mention that none of those 4 are amazing 3pt shooters, ala Pierce and Ray.  Maybe Bradley should wait until one of them hits 40% before he should start feeling scared.