Can we admit that Avery Bradley is a legit NBA player now?

[chambers]

Ok so it hasn't been many games...
But to all the haters/doubters who have said he doesn't belong in the NBA. Has he shown enough to earn credit at least as an energetic back up guard?

His defensive pressure is NBA level, his ability to get to the basket is NBA level. His shooting has been inconsistent and his passing is suspect at times, but as Wyc pointed out during the CSNNE boraodcast with Tommy and Mike, he never had 2-4 years in college experience and has just needed playing time to relax- his hustle is inspirational to his team mates- both KG and Pierce have said this. Pietrus is out for a while by the looks of things so Bradley might be filling in more than people hoped for.
After the big win a lot of people are saying the Magic played terribly-it helped that they missed everything from beyond the arc. This is true, but Bradley's pressure on Jameer was what set the tone and stopped them from establishing things early and left them with scrap time to find a good shot.
I'm just happy for him and for the organization to get positive results from a kid who've they have invested so much in over the past few years. Seeing him do well again in front of the home crowd and energizing the building was awesome.


Post game interview with this little warrior.

http://www.nba.com/video/channels/nba_tv/2012/01/23/20120123_arenalink_bradley.nba/

[CelticsFanNC]

  Yes he is a legitimate NBA player.  He is a game changing defender.  Offensively he still needs to find his niche but his on the ball defense is about as good as it gets.

[rickyfan3.0...]

I would disagree about his shooting, it has been very consistent.... He misses EVERY single shot he takes. Can't be more consistent than that.

[Rickretro]

Agreed.  The offense still needs work but he changed that game last night.  He had Nelson horrified!

[rickyfan3.0...]

Best defensive point guard I have ever seen in the green will always be Marcus Banks. He was a nightmare on defender up and down the court. It was crazy.

[ChapelHillCeltic]

He reminds me of Lindsey Hunter.  He is legit.  Very tough, physically and mentally.

[clover]

Unquestionably, the way AB has been improving has been one of the bright spots for the team.  Whether as a keeper or an asset in a trade, Bradley is boosting his value.  I now want to see Doc average him at least 15 minutes a game even with Rondo back, because that's how you appreciate your young assets.

I'm also ready to relegate Ray to 20 minutes off the bench, however much that will get his nose out of joint.

[slamtheking]

he played terrific D last night and showed some toughness with a few hits he took.

right now, he's a fringe player.  if he can develop a consistent jumper out to at least 18 feet or be able to drive to the hoop without getting constantly stripped, he'll be a solid rotation player.

as disruptive as he and Rondo could be on the floor together, their inability to shoot from outside will kill the offense.

[Inside-Out]

Unquestionably, the way AB has been improving has been one of the bright spots for the team.  Whether as a keeper or an asset in a trade, Bradley is boosting his value.  I now want to see Doc average him at least 15 minutes a game even with Rondo back, because that's how you appreciate your young assets.

I'm also ready to relegate Ray to 20 minutes off the bench, however much that will get his nose out of joint.

Don't think Ray's nose will be a problem, but clearly Doc has a rotation problem in that he has to figure out how to sit the superior player to make room for the younger, fresher, more aggressive legs.

[CelticsFanNC]

Unquestionably, the way AB has been improving has been one of the bright spots for the team.  Whether as a keeper or an asset in a trade, Bradley is boosting his value.  I now want to see Doc average him at least 15 minutes a game even with Rondo back, because that's how you appreciate your young assets.

I'm also ready to relegate Ray to 20 minutes off the bench, however much that will get his nose out of joint.

Don't think Ray's nose will be a problem, but clearly Doc has a rotation problem in that he has to figure out how to sit the superior player to make room for the younger, fresher, more aggressive legs.

  Completely agree,

  We are pretty consistently playing our worst basketball in the 1st quarter, early in games.  It is no coincidence that this is the main time we have 4 sets of older legs out there competing against opposing teams five best players.  We need a better mixture of athleticism and experience but the young guys got to prove they can bring great energy and play aggressively night in and night out.

  What's the fix?  I don't know.  Jeff Green as an option would have given Doc some more versatility. 

 

[birdwatcher]

I officially take my foot out of my mouth long enough to say I was wrong about Bradley. That was the best on the ball defense I've seen in a long time. Lots of energy and made 0 mistakes. Good job, AB. Now, I will insert the right foot again...

[Cman]

I officially take my foot out of my mouth long enough to say I was wrong about Bradley. That was the best on the ball defense I've seen in a long time. Lots of energy and made 0 mistakes. Good job, AB. Now, I will insert the right foot again...

TP. It is never easy to admit when wrong. Just ask my wife about my behavior most of the time...

[celticsleyte]

Unquestionably, the way AB has been improving has been one of the bright spots for the team.  Whether as a keeper or an asset in a trade, Bradley is boosting his value.  I now want to see Doc average him at least 15 minutes a game even with Rondo back, because that's how you appreciate your young assets.

I'm also ready to relegate Ray to 20 minutes off the bench, however much that will get his nose out of joint.

Don't think Ray's nose will be a problem, but clearly Doc has a rotation problem in that he has to figure out how to sit the superior player to make room for the younger, fresher, more aggressive legs.

I do not see a need to cut Ray's  minutes so drastically he can give us a very solid twenty eight minutes a night. There is plenty of time available for Bradley. Dooling may be getting some splinters if Avery figures out things on the offensive end.  I expect Nelson to play better at home.

[colincb]

He reminds me of Lindsey Hunter.  He is legit.  Very tough, physically and mentally.

I've had the same thought for some time though AB doesn't have a so-so 3 point shot in his repertoire like Hunter did.  AB needs to slow down offensively and that may come with more PT and less nervous energy.

[ctrey]

I said this many times on this forum: I watched Bradley at Texas and knew that if nothing else, he could be a defensive specialist in the NBA.

He made a fool out of Jameer Nelson last night. Now I know Jameer has never panned out the way most folks thought but he still has been a starting PG for a playoff team for a few years now.

Averys' shot will round into form. Will he average 20 a game? I will not bet the farm on it but I think we will see improvement on this front during the season.

He certainly has shown to be a very strong back up combo guard. Not bad since we picked him at 19.