Avery Bradley-o-Meter

[Snakehead]

Is your meter broken?

Maybe he can make "Clown" mean what he makes the opposing players look like.  Otherwise he might need to add a few more symbols on there, maybe one is a padlock.

I think the meter was meant to be a joke...

I guess... but the hate isn't.  The negativity around this kid on this board when he showed such amazing flashes of defense in limited minutes and yes, some struggles on offense, was just ridiculous to me and I think we all just saw what Avery can do when he gets a chance and gets a little comfortable out there.

Some NBA fans... if you don't come in ala LeBron and dominate immediately they think you are junk, even at 19!  It's crazy to me.

[Celtics18]

My favorite part of Bradley's performance last night was how infectious his defense seemed to be to his teammates.  I thought everyone upped the D a little after seeing how hard Avery was getting after it.

[RyNye]

Some NBA fans... if you don't come in ala LeBron and dominate immediately they think you are junk, even at 19!  It's crazy to me.

Defense is perenially underrated in basketball. Even if you aren't that good of a scorer, it's tough to be an outright liability on offense. You can still be used to set screens and move off the ball, forcing the defense to shuffle around and create openings. It would be nice if AB improved his catch-and-shoot skills, which would make him more of a threat, but honestly, on the offensive end of the court, as long as you can move, you are useful. Not so on the defensive end.

For a role player, being good on defense is probably more important than being good on offense. Yes, we need a spark off the bench to get some scoring, but more important than that is keeping the other team's bench from putting up numbers. Force them to ride their starters.

[ScoobyDoo]

I've always liked Bradley. I guess I can understand people being disappointed in him up til now, but haven't been able to figure out why so brutally negative with him.

* One year in college - 19 year old Rookie
* Injured over the summer - missed training camp rookie year
* On and elite team vying for a ring - HOF players staring at you every time you turn around

Now he's in his "second" year - not his 12th season. He still hasn't had the benefit of a single full training camp, and yet...

He possesses two very rare NBA qualities:
* Top 5-10 % NBA athleticism
* Elite - even at the NBA level - on ball defense

He's tenacious as hell and by all accounts works incredibly hard at trying to get better. I've heard nothing about him being any sort of headcase. To the contrary I hear he's a good soldier and teammate.

Everyone bags on his shooting - why? Because he has such a poor percentage right now? I could care less about that - that's nerves, rushing, anxiety. I don't see how anyone who's being really honest can't see that he has a good, solid stroke. He's not Ray Allen, but you can tell the guy is a "decent" shooter and his percentages will get better.

More importantly, as with his on ball defense, I think he also has a nose for the rim on offense. That crossover move to the rim last night wasn't a fluke. Once he gets more and more comfortable, expect to see a lot more of that.

He has a long way to go - but all the tools are there. Plus, again, by all accounts he seems like hard working young kid who is very well liked by all the Vets on the team.

Why is there so much aggressive negativity with this kid? I don't get it.           
 

[bfrombleacher]

I'm not sold on AB yet either, but I'll raise my hand and admit I was one of those posters who said he stinks (see thread earlier this week).  That was probably a bit too harsh.  Like Tony Allen, his defense will keep him in the running.  In the post-game interview, Pierce also said the kid just needs to build his confidence.  That only comes from games like last night against the Nets.

Also, he looked better than E'Twan Moore against the same bad Nets team.  Moore is a better jump shooter, but Bradley has everything else on him.

HA! As a poster who has been supporting AB and been optimistic about him I'd like to say eat crow!

Just kidding. TP for saying nice things about Bradley.

[33_Larry Legend_33]

So Avery plays against a terrible Nets team, with no interior defensive presence, dominates the ball in garbage time, and people want to praise this as his "breakout" game, where he's suddenly a meaningful part of the rotation?

LOL!!!  I literally laughed out loud at this.  If one really sits back and thinks this over it's really quite comical...

I'll believe when I see it, when Doc and his teammates actually trust the kid when it means something against a real opponent...

[Celtics4ever]

Thing I liked about him was in the second half when he missed that three.  You could see his determination because he turned up the D and toasted the NJ guy the next play.  If he ever learns to play at that level all the time we might have something here.

[Surferdad]

I've always liked Bradley. I guess I can understand people being disappointed in him up til now, but haven't been able to figure out why so brutally negative with him.

* One year in college - 19 year old Rookie
* Injured over the summer - missed training camp rookie year
* On and elite team vying for a ring - HOF players staring at you every time you turn around

Now he's in his "second" year - not his 12th season. He still hasn't had the benefit of a single full training camp, and yet...

He possesses two very rare NBA qualities:
* Top 5-10 % NBA athleticism
* Elite - even at the NBA level - on ball defense

He's tenacious as hell and by all accounts works incredibly hard at trying to get better. I've heard nothing about him being any sort of headcase. To the contrary I hear he's a good soldier and teammate.

Everyone bags on his shooting - why? Because he has such a poor percentage right now? I could care less about that - that's nerves, rushing, anxiety. I don't see how anyone who's being really honest can't see that he has a good, solid stroke. He's not Ray Allen, but you can tell the guy is a "decent" shooter and his percentages will get better.

More importantly, as with his on ball defense, I think he also has a nose for the rim on offense. That crossover move to the rim last night wasn't a fluke. Once he gets more and more comfortable, expect to see a lot more of that.

He has a long way to go - but all the tools are there. Plus, again, by all accounts he seems like hard working young kid who is very well liked by all the Vets on the team.

Why is there so much aggressive negativity with this kid? I don't get it.           
 

Great post.  TP for you. 

Perhaps the negativity is borne of high standards?  Again, I admit I was a bit harsh on the kid.  There is tremendous pressure on young players to show what they can do in limited minutes.  If they can't make the NBA but want to play basketball, then they are relegated to going to Europe (which many don't prefer) or playing in a lesser domestic league where they ride busses to games, stay in Motel-Six, play in sub-par facilities, and get paid a pittance.  Not a glamorous life at all.

[bfrombleacher]

Is your meter broken?

Maybe he can make "Clown" mean what he makes the opposing players look like.  Otherwise he might need to add a few more symbols on there, maybe one is a padlock.

I think the meter was meant to be a joke...

I guess... but the hate isn't.  The negativity around this kid on this board when he showed such amazing flashes of defense in limited minutes and yes, some struggles on offense, was just ridiculous to me and I think we all just saw what Avery can do when he gets a chance and gets a little comfortable out there.

Some NBA fans... if you don't come in ala LeBron and dominate immediately they think you are junk, even at 19!  It's crazy to me.

TP.

This place is turning into a TP fest. Love that when a Celtic rookie does well the positivity is reflected in this place haha.

[makaveli]

Imagine Rondo and Bradley going at it in practice...

[ScoobyDoo]

Thanks for the TP and agree with you that there is a tremendous amount of pressure on these young guys to produce and I think some handle it better than others. Everyone is different.

Also agree that with high expectations comes harsher criticism when not met - that's very true.

I think it's also maybe how each individual looks at and evaluates a player.

Rajon Rondo - I remember watching him in summer league games his rookie year. After one half I turned to my uncle and said this kid is a game changing point guard. It wasn't because he was lighting it up, it was because of the way he was running the point, the way he was moving and some little things he was doing that indicated where his game could go.

Perkins - I predicted he'd settle at 12 / 8 and 2 blocks. I was a little off with him as his averages are below those marks. But the main things I liked with Perkins were:
* Tough, physical aggressive style and attitude
* Very strong lower body strength - which would help with low post D
* Long arms

Jefferson - Thought he was one of the best, young low post offensive guys I'd seen in a while.
* Figured offense would be easy for him
* was concerned about his low post defense mostly because I thought he had "goofy" legs and minimal lower body strength
* was not innately "tough" and you can't teach that.

Point is, with Bradley -
* Elite athleticism elite on ball defense
* When he's dialed in, Bradley shows KG type defensive energy at the point/Off positions - this is a rare and valuable quality
* Potentially explosive offense game - and - in order of ability:
A) Mid range pull up jump shots
B) Attacking the rim and getting to the line
C) His three point shooting will never be great but could be "decent"

So I look at these traits and try to project 2-3 years down the road - where will those abilities take him. I think Bradley will be very good. Either a great role player or possibly much more. But he won't be out of the league - no way. On top of it, he's apparently a great kid - I can root for that.

      

[ScoobyDoo]

I'd like to see that combo - Rondo / Bradley - and I expect we may.

One thing I like about this team is we have some pretty physically tough, aggressive characters, for their positions, coming off the bench - Bass, Dooling, Bradley, Pietrus when available.

I'm not talking brutes, just guys who play with a physical edge to their game.

[nickagneta]

I think Bradley has potential in the open floor on breaks as well. His speed both with and without the ball is nuts and in a running game he would be amazing either running the wing or with the ball from the point. Gotta see his ball handling decisions when he's in 2 on 1's and 3 on 2's first though.

[j804]

If Bradley can continue to give good defense like this and has confidence by the playoffs I could see him contributing in small stretches slowing down Chalmers, Wade, Rose

I don't mean stopping them but making them work just a lil harder than normal

Chalmers? Really?
Seriously, though, I love Bradley's improvement but the fact remains that he's a 6'3 Shooting Guard! He's never going to be a PG, he's never going to grow 3 inches! He'd be a regular 6th man at best.. What we need for our future is a Ray/Pierce replacement - a 6'6 - 6'8 SG/SF go-to-guy.. I still believe he's being showcased to raise his trade stock..

I am talking about teams and guys in the playoffs we would see out east, well see a lot of Chalmers at the point running the Heat if we face them. If he continues improving he can get spot minutes on opposing ballhandlers harassing them even if just for defense, while Rondo catches a blow. Nobody is talking at least I'm not about him being a starter or a future Ray replacement

You don't need a specialist to 'slow down' Chalmers. You slow down Wade and Rose. You completely shut down Chalmers and send him home crying.

How about Wade, Rose, and:
Joe Johnson
or Jameer Nelson

If only we could have picked up one of the free agents for 2012 to be like Dwight Howard, Christ Paul or George Hill.

Fair enough im in no way comparing him to Wade but you know what I'm getting at. I just remember Chalmers last year gettin the better of Rondo on more than a few occasions last postseason.

[ScoobyDoo]

Yes, both good points Nick.

1. His open court speed should net some easy baskets for him both as a recipient and as a facilitator. The latter, as you mention, will largely depend on how much he can improve his ball handling.

But I have to say, he is definitely better this year with the ball than last.

If he becomes a solid ball handler - he will get anywhere he wants to go on the court.

And to me, with his long arms and good hand/eye coordination, there is no real reason he shouldn't be able to at least become proficient handling the ball.