Doc should play Bradley during Delonte's absence

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

Amazing Bradley is healed already. I don't believe it. Only a month ago Doc was baffled as to which course of treatment the trainers were going to take.  Now, he's ready to go full tilt?  Rest him until January or February.  No need to make this condition chronic by rushing him back.     

Doc doesn't think he's ready for full tilt... in fact, he said he doesn't want to ruin Bradley by pushing him too much b4 he's ready and that he's not fully healed.

[clover]

Amazing Bradley is healed already. I don't believe it. Only a month ago Doc was baffled as to which course of treatment the trainers were going to take.  Now, he's ready to go full tilt?  Rest him until January or February.  No need to make this condition chronic by rushing him back.     

Doc doesn't think he's ready for full tilt... in fact, he said he doesn't want to ruin Bradley by pushing him too much b4 he's ready and that he's not fully healed.

Good for Doc!

[Surferdad]

From Doc:

"I really do hope we can get him out on the floor as soon as possible," said Rivers. "Even if he doesn’t know the stuff, he needs [to play]. Just to break the glass and go play a little bit."

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4677126/pregame-notes-shaq-to-start-jo-limited

"It's tough, honestly," Rivers said. "I was talking about it today, about Avery. He's played -- I think [assistant coach] Lawrence [Frank] or [assistant coach] Kevin Eastman said it today -- he's been through three full practices this season, including training camp. And he's a rookie, and we're going to throw him on the floor. So, at times, we've just got to protect him. We don't want to ruin him. And he's not healthy, yet; not great health. So, it's what we have.

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics

Seems to me that as soon as he's healthy enough to go, Doc wants to get this kid some minutes.  Now's the time folks, he's not playing in April...

Sounds like Doc wants a lot of blowouts so he can get Bradley some pressure-free minutes to get comfortable with the NBA game.  Doesn't sound like Doc;s comfortable giving him any meaningful minutes.   

I think the best thing for Bradley would be getting some time at the 2 with Rondo.  Free him from the confidence-breaking ball pressure, and the brain overload of directing the offense.  Puts him in a position to run simple pick and rolls from the wing, shoot off of kick-outs and play hard-nosed D.

I agree with that interpretation (sorry Reggie's Ghost).  I saw the Doc interview and you could tell he was being sarcastic when he said "...and we're going to throw him on the floor".  He feels Avery is not ready.

[LooseCannon]

I think Doc should only play Bradley at SG and not PG.  He probably has a chance of doing a good job defending opposing point guards, but I think he's only suited to playing SG on offense at this point.

[snowball]

Von Wafer gives us a better chance to win.

[Reggie's Ghost]

From Doc:

"I really do hope we can get him out on the floor as soon as possible," said Rivers. "Even if he doesn’t know the stuff, he needs [to play]. Just to break the glass and go play a little bit."

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4677126/pregame-notes-shaq-to-start-jo-limited

"It's tough, honestly," Rivers said. "I was talking about it today, about Avery. He's played -- I think [assistant coach] Lawrence [Frank] or [assistant coach] Kevin Eastman said it today -- he's been through three full practices this season, including training camp. And he's a rookie, and we're going to throw him on the floor. So, at times, we've just got to protect him. We don't want to ruin him. And he's not healthy, yet; not great health. So, it's what we have.

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics

Seems to me that as soon as he's healthy enough to go, Doc wants to get this kid some minutes.  Now's the time folks, he's not playing in April...

Sounds like Doc wants a lot of blowouts so he can get Bradley some pressure-free minutes to get comfortable with the NBA game.  Doesn't sound like Doc;s comfortable giving him any meaningful minutes.   

I think the best thing for Bradley would be getting some time at the 2 with Rondo.  Free him from the confidence-breaking ball pressure, and the brain overload of directing the offense.  Puts him in a position to run simple pick and rolls from the wing, shoot off of kick-outs and play hard-nosed D.

I agree with that interpretation (sorry Reggie's Ghost).  I saw the Doc interview and you could tell he was being sarcastic when he said "...and we're going to throw him on the floor".  He feels Avery is not ready.

I agree with both of you that Doc wants to give him some run, but not at crucial times in close games yet, and that he wants to wait until he's healthier.  But I do think he'll take advantage of any chance he can get to give this kid some "developmental" minutes, esp during the present guard drought.

I'm not so sure that giving him time at the 2 alongside Rondo, who knows the playbook cold and is tossing passes blind would be the best way to work him in though.  I'd rather see him eat up the garbage time minutes with Wafer and work himself into the backup point where they are grooming him anyway.

[Assassin70]

Von Wafer gives us a better chance to win.

As sad as that statement might be...I agree.

[Chris]

As much as I would love to see it, from the little I have seen from Bradley, he is nowhere close to ready.  He has looked completely lost out there on offense, and completely overmatched.  

Now, perhaps a big part of that was throwing him out there at PG (which I am not sure he will ever be).  He may be more comfortable if they ease him in as a SG...but that is a big if.

With a young guy like this, I think you risk doing more damage than good by throwing them out there before they are ready.  You don't want to destroy his confidence, and if he is not comfortable with the system yet, or the speed of the game, he is going to really struggle.  

Now, perhaps I am wrong, and he has shown more in practice suggesting he is ready, and that was just nerves the other night.  But based on what I have seen, I think they should be looking to send him down to Portland for a while to build up his confidence, and have him work with the coaches a little longer down there to learn the system and the NBA game.  Then, give him another look in January or February (since West will probably still be out), to see if he is ready.