AB has been disappointing(again)

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

Bradley wasn't Dwyane Wade again today. How disappointing.

I love you guys that have obviously been on this board for awhile.  it seems like you think you can get by with smart aleck remarks instead of constructive criticism.

What are we, coaches? The point he's making is that folks getting overly high or low on a competent but unspectacular player like Bradley is pretty silly. It's not realistic to expect him to become a star.

That and the 20 other threads of comments on this same topic where people have already given "constructive criticism" many times. What more can he say that hasn't been said? Sometimes a quick one-liner is all that needs to be said to convey a simple message that has been expressed more fully a thousand times.

[Johnny Mic]

How many times have we seen that opening play of the game, AB taking a Ray Allen-esque jumper coming off a screen?

My issue with Bradley is he's not creative off the dribble and never drives to the rim like IT, ET, or Smart. He's good in transition and makes points off of steals, but my frustration is he hasn't developed his halfcourt offensive game beyond being a spot up shooter.  There was talk that he used to be known for dunking until he screwed up his knee. Maybe this is why, but AB just never takes it to the hole.

[wdleehi]

How many times have we seen that opening play of the game, AB taking a Ray Allen-esque jumper coming off a screen?

My issue with Bradley is he's not creative off the dribble and never drives to the rim like IT, ET, or Smart. He's good in transition and makes points off of steals, but my frustration is he hasn't developed his halfcourt offensive game beyond being a spot up shooter.  There was talk that he used to be known for dunking until he screwed up his knee. Maybe this is why, but AB just never takes it to the hole.

Which is fine.  He isn't the best dribbler.  He moves better without the ball.  Let him play to those strengths. 

[droopdog7]

How many times have we seen that opening play of the game, AB taking a Ray Allen-esque jumper coming off a screen?

My issue with Bradley is he's not creative off the dribble and never drives to the rim like IT, ET, or Smart. He's good in transition and makes points off of steals, but my frustration is he hasn't developed his halfcourt offensive game beyond being a spot up shooter.  There was talk that he used to be known for dunking until he screwed up his knee. Maybe this is why, but AB just never takes it to the hole.

So your issue is that AB is not Dwayne Wade. 

OK.

[crimson_stallion]

How many times have we seen that opening play of the game, AB taking a Ray Allen-esque jumper coming off a screen?

My issue with Bradley is he's not creative off the dribble and never drives to the rim like IT, ET, or Smart. He's good in transition and makes points off of steals, but my frustration is he hasn't developed his halfcourt offensive game beyond being a spot up shooter.  There was talk that he used to be known for dunking until he screwed up his knee. Maybe this is why, but AB just never takes it to the hole.

Neither does Kyle Korver, nor did guys like Bruce Bowen or Shane Battier - guys who were mainly role players, but have still been starters most of their careers and huge contributes to their teams. 

Even Ray Allen (beyond 2008) rarely ever attacked the basket, yet he was a huge part out our competitiveness as a team. 

There are many different ways to skin a cat (as the saying goes).  Bradley has never really had the ball handling skills or the physical strength to get to the basket and finish with contact.  That's just not his game.  His skill set is basically perimeter defense, outside shooting, scoring in transition and hitting pull up jumpers off the dribble.

He's more than just a role player because his skill set goes beyond just defense and pull-up threes, however he's still has limitations to his game which is why he is a quality starter, rather than a perennial all-star.  That's also why he's making about $7M a year, not $16M a year.

If Bradley could do all the things he does AND was could also get to the basket / line at a high level, then he'd basically be a DeMar Derozan caliber player and would be a max contract player (or at least very close to).   

On the current cap Avery Bradley is basically making mid level exception money.  Hell, even Iman Shumpert is on $10M a year now - Bradley is a better player than Shumpert and is making about 70% of that.

Pretty hard to complain about Bradley's game when he's being paid like a 6th man and works as hard as he does. 

I'd totally understand it if he was making $15M a year, but at $7M a year for a guy who plays elite defense, scores 15 PPG, shoots 38% from three and has a flawless work ethic/attitude...you really can't complain.

[Johnny Mic]

How many times have we seen that opening play of the game, AB taking a Ray Allen-esque jumper coming off a screen?

My issue with Bradley is he's not creative off the dribble and never drives to the rim like IT, ET, or Smart. He's good in transition and makes points off of steals, but my frustration is he hasn't developed his halfcourt offensive game beyond being a spot up shooter.  There was talk that he used to be known for dunking until he screwed up his knee. Maybe this is why, but AB just never takes it to the hole.

So your issue is that AB is not Dwayne Wade. 

OK.

Really my issue is that AB isn't Ray Allen....

These are all outstanding analyses on AB's value and role with the squad. As it relates to the OP, I think it's fair to say that in his role, AB can be wicked streaky, for good and at times not as good.  When he comes out of the blocks cold, the C's get punched in the mouth and need to dig out, as we've seen many this year. 

Can we win a playoff series or a championship with him as a starter? I just don't know.

[snively]

AB is now almost exactly the player he was last year statistically. He is who he is.

[crimson_stallion]

How many times have we seen that opening play of the game, AB taking a Ray Allen-esque jumper coming off a screen?

My issue with Bradley is he's not creative off the dribble and never drives to the rim like IT, ET, or Smart. He's good in transition and makes points off of steals, but my frustration is he hasn't developed his halfcourt offensive game beyond being a spot up shooter.  There was talk that he used to be known for dunking until he screwed up his knee. Maybe this is why, but AB just never takes it to the hole.

So your issue is that AB is not Dwayne Wade. 

OK.

Really my issue is that AB isn't Ray Allen....

These are all outstanding analyses on AB's value and role with the squad. As it relates to the OP, I think it's fair to say that in his role, AB can be wicked streaky, for good and at times not as good.  When he comes out of the blocks cold, the C's get punched in the mouth and need to dig out, as we've seen many this year. 

Can we win a playoff series or a championship with him as a starter? I just don't know.

Yes, we can.

You know how I know this?  Because we have

Bradley (not Ray Allen) was our starting shooting guard when we knocked off Atlanta and Philadelphia in the 2011-12 Playoffs, and then went on to lose to the Heat (in 7 games) in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Many people (myself included) still wonder how things might have gone down if Bradley didn't miss the finals due to shoulder surgery - his defense was a key factor in us winning the first two series, and his having that defense available against Dwyane Wade (who Bradley has a consistent history of making life difficult for) may well have swung that series in our favor.

So ultimately, the answer is yes.  With the right stars in place, we absolutely CAN win (and have won) a playoff series with Bradley as a starter.