I'm not denying Bradley's defensive impact. It's played a huge role in this run. I kept telling people the Celtics shouldn't trade Bradley because his defense is among the league's best individually. What's surprised me most is how seamless he's fit back into the starting lineup.
However, other factors have played into it too.
-Pierce was in a slump at the beginning of the season. It almost got to the point where we all thought he looked finished, but now he's over it and has played as good as ever.
-Courtney Lee's 3s weren't falling (like Terry's aren't right now)and he seemed confused in the offense, but now his shots are falling and Lee has fit into his role as the Mini-Posey. I'm 100% confident Terry's stroke will come back too. Like Lee, we need to give the Jet some time.
-Green looks like he's coming out of his shell on both offense and defense. Advanced stats have proven Green is actually a capable 1-on-1 defender like we want him to be and he's being more aggressive on the offensive end. I expect things will get better for him from here.
-Sully looks like his game has adjusted to the NBA and more so. He's bringing more of what the C's need on a consistent basis and has been their most exciting rookie since Rajon Rondo. What's impressed me most is his defensive improvement. He looks much better on D now than at the beginning of the season. Like Green, things are going to get better for Sully too.
Factor in Wilcox coming back and we've got a great squad. And here's the tip of the iceberg people: This is just the beginning. the Celtics went on a streak with Avery returning just two weeks ago. I think this team is going to get a lot better even as time goes on.