Let's get real about Avery..

[Vermont Green]

Two years ago, people were questioning whether Bradley would ever be an NBA player (he was 19 and came out of college too early).  Then last year it was "if he hadn't got hurt, we would have won the championship".  Quite a turn around for a 20 year old.

I liked what I saw in Bradley last year and predicted he would get better.  I saw Chancey Billups, not Marcus Banks.  He ended up ramping even faster than Billups did in his second year.

So last year, Bradley grew and became an NBA player.  This year I predict he becomes an NBA point guard, a back-up, and probably still playing the combo role, but yes, I believe that Bradley will be a fine back-up PG this year and ultimately a fine starting PG.  He won't be a PG in the Rondo mold but don't hold that against him.  I see him more in the Tony Parker mold but not exactly him either.  He will forge his own mold but he will be fine.

The questions are what do we do until he gets back and can we be sure he will in fact be fully healthy?

[ianboyextreme]

I dont get this idea that Bradley is going to be "fighting for minutes" when he comes back...he has proven himself and Doc will find a way to make it work...if he was playing that well with a TORN shoulder, who is to say he wont once they are fully healed?

By this logic though, Jeremy Lin will be an all-star PG in Houston. Its a small sample size, that might be an indicator of what is a projection for their careers going forward with big minutes. It might also be hot play at the right time, with a small regression due going forward.

Plus, Avery Bradley is coming back from double shoulder surgery at age 21. Who knows what that's gonna mean long-term.

Lee is a solid defender, but he isnt the level of defender that bradley is.

what bradley brings to the table is that he can check the opposing teams best guard, leaving Rondo to gamble like he likes to do.

I agree with these two things, although I think Courtney Lee's basement as a defender is higher than Bradley's, and I think people will by an large be pleased when they see what Lee looks like on the Garnett-led Celtics. Plus defenders 1,2,3, and 5.

Actually Avery played that way for half a season, Lin played that way for like 3 weeks.

I don't think its that disparate.

Lin: 25 games as a starter, 18 ppg, 8 assists
Bradley: 28 games as a starter.

Its true that Lin had some bad games as a starter as well, but more good games than bad games.

Avery played well starting with the Magic game, not just as a starter.

[ianboyextreme]

Two years ago, people were questioning whether Bradley would ever be an NBA player (he was 19 and came out of college too early).  Then last year it was "if he hadn't got hurt, we would have won the championship".  Quite a turn around for a 20 year old.

I liked what I saw in Bradley last year and predicted he would get better.  I saw Chancey Billups, not Marcus Banks.  He ended up ramping even faster than Billups did in his second year.

So last year, Bradley grew and became an NBA player.  This year I predict he becomes an NBA point guard, a back-up, and probably still playing the combo role, but yes, I believe that Bradley will be a fine back-up PG this year and ultimately a fine starting PG.  He won't be a PG in the Rondo mold but don't hold that against him.  I see him more in the Tony Parker mold but not exactly him either.  He will forge his own mold but he will be fine.

The questions are what do we do until he gets back and can we be sure he will in fact be fully healthy?

I think its been established that Avery is a 2 guard and thats where he plays best.

[ianboyextreme]

Everyone is so pumped about Courtney Lee that they are completely compromising what Avery has proven to us. Courtney Lee is a good player and I am glad to have him on the Celtics but Avery will start. He will also be a star very soon.

[LooseCannon]

I find it amazing that after 14 good games people think he is out savior, a candidate for DPOY and an all MBA defender and our ticket to banner 18. Lets see if he can get ahead lee first cause we all know terry is going to be in the lineup closing games for us.

I don't think it is at all crazy to think he is a potential future DPOY candidate if he can put together a full, healthy season.  He's got a lot of people around the league and the media who see him as a great defender, so he has a good chance of having the reputation necessary to finish high in DPOY voting.

Even when Bradley's offense was useless, he was still a great defender.  You can question whether or not his effectiveness on offense is sustainable, but we have more than just half a season to go on when judging his defense.

[indeedproceed]

I dont get this idea that Bradley is going to be "fighting for minutes" when he comes back...he has proven himself and Doc will find a way to make it work...if he was playing that well with a TORN shoulder, who is to say he wont once they are fully healed?

By this logic though, Jeremy Lin will be an all-star PG in Houston. Its a small sample size, that might be an indicator of what is a projection for their careers going forward with big minutes. It might also be hot play at the right time, with a small regression due going forward.

Plus, Avery Bradley is coming back from double shoulder surgery at age 21. Who knows what that's gonna mean long-term.

Lee is a solid defender, but he isnt the level of defender that bradley is.

what bradley brings to the table is that he can check the opposing teams best guard, leaving Rondo to gamble like he likes to do.

I agree with these two things, although I think Courtney Lee's basement as a defender is higher than Bradley's, and I think people will by an large be pleased when they see what Lee looks like on the Garnett-led Celtics. Plus defenders 1,2,3, and 5.

Actually Avery played that way for half a season, Lin played that way for like 3 weeks.

I don't think its that disparate.

Lin: 25 games as a starter, 18 ppg, 8 assists
Bradley: 28 games as a starter.

Its true that Lin had some bad games as a starter as well, but more good games than bad games.

Avery played well starting with the Magic game, not just as a starter.

That's true. He had some good games off the bench. But, he didn't find real consistency til later in the season.

[JHTruth]

Everyone is so pumped about Courtney Lee that they are completely compromising what Avery has proven to us. Courtney Lee is a good player and I am glad to have him on the Celtics but Avery will start. He will also be a star very soon.

This is what I'm talking about. Come on guys the guy is coming off surgery, had a stretch of good games, and people are going crazy.STOP IT. He has proven nothing really. Do you know how many players have a good stretch of like 20 games? COUNTLESS players over the years. Lee is being relegated to "ok player but nothing compared to the amazing superstar AB!!" Lee is FAR more proven than AB with several SEASONS of solid play..

[SHAQATTACK]

my hope comes from that he was playing pretty well with totally banged up shoulders against very good players even before the surgery. With a good surgeon, a long rest, proper rehab and eating right this is a young guy that should heal up pretty well and I think he knows how to play.

I agree with all this.

Besides next to KG he is my favorite..

[moiso]

Everyone is so pumped about Courtney Lee that they are completely compromising what Avery has proven to us. Courtney Lee is a good player and I am glad to have him on the Celtics but Avery will start. He will also be a star very soon.

This is what I'm talking about. Come on guys the guy is coming off surgery, had a stretch of good games, and people are going crazy.STOP IT. He has proven nothing really. Do you know how many players have a good stretch of like 20 games? COUNTLESS players over the years. Lee is being relegated to "ok player but nothing compared to the amazing superstar AB!!" Lee is FAR more proven than AB with several SEASONS of solid play..

There is abolutely no reason to think that Bradley's performance was a fluke last year.  Young guys have been known to improve.  Bradley wasnt lucky for 20 games.  He became more confident and improved.  Worst case scenario is that he loses a few percentage points on 3 pointers.

[Neurotic Guy]

I'm not crazy about the expression "It's all good", but I think it applies here.  If Lee plays well enough to force AB to have to earn playing time -- that's a perfect scenario in my book. 

[ianboyextreme]

Everyone is so pumped about Courtney Lee that they are completely compromising what Avery has proven to us. Courtney Lee is a good player and I am glad to have him on the Celtics but Avery will start. He will also be a star very soon.

This is what I'm talking about. Come on guys the guy is coming off surgery, had a stretch of good games, and people are going crazy.STOP IT. He has proven nothing really. Do you know how many players have a good stretch of like 20 games? COUNTLESS players over the years. Lee is being relegated to "ok player but nothing compared to the amazing superstar AB!!" Lee is FAR more proven than AB with several SEASONS of solid play..

Dude its not like some random free agent signing just all of a sudden came out of no where. This is a young player who slowly developed, and is still developing, in to a really good player. Flukes dont work like that. Hes not some journeyman who all of a sudden had this unrealistic spike in his play. It was a gradual increase in his skill and comfort level playing pro ball. He wasn't just chucking up 3's and somehow they were going in. He scores off of timely cuts and corner 3's. The defense as well we all knew he had from the start.

[Celtics18]

Two years ago, people were questioning whether Bradley would ever be an NBA player (he was 19 and came out of college too early).  Then last year it was "if he hadn't got hurt, we would have won the championship".  Quite a turn around for a 20 year old.

I liked what I saw in Bradley last year and predicted he would get better.  I saw Chancey Billups, not Marcus Banks.  He ended up ramping even faster than Billups did in his second year.

So last year, Bradley grew and became an NBA player.  This year I predict he becomes an NBA point guard, a back-up, and probably still playing the combo role, but yes, I believe that Bradley will be a fine back-up PG this year and ultimately a fine starting PG.  He won't be a PG in the Rondo mold but don't hold that against him.  I see him more in the Tony Parker mold but not exactly him either.  He will forge his own mold but he will be fine.

The questions are what do we do until he gets back and can we be sure he will in fact be fully healthy?

I think its been established that Avery is a 2 guard and thats where he plays best.

I certainly like him better at the two offensively, but the truth (as much as it hurts) seems to be that he is better defensively as a point guard.

[bucknersrevenge]

Two years ago, people were questioning whether Bradley would ever be an NBA player (he was 19 and came out of college too early).  Then last year it was "if he hadn't got hurt, we would have won the championship".  Quite a turn around for a 20 year old.

I liked what I saw in Bradley last year and predicted he would get better.  I saw Chancey Billups, not Marcus Banks.  He ended up ramping even faster than Billups did in his second year.

So last year, Bradley grew and became an NBA player.  This year I predict he becomes an NBA point guard, a back-up, and probably still playing the combo role, but yes, I believe that Bradley will be a fine back-up PG this year and ultimately a fine starting PG.  He won't be a PG in the Rondo mold but don't hold that against him.  I see him more in the Tony Parker mold but not exactly him either.  He will forge his own mold but he will be fine.

The questions are what do we do until he gets back and can we be sure he will in fact be fully healthy?

I think its been established that Avery is a 2 guard and thats where he plays best.

I certainly like him better at the two offensively, but the truth (as much as it hurts) seems to be that he is better defensively as a point guard.

Since when does that mean anything? Last year when AB and Rondo played together RR guarded the opposing 2 guards on a number of occasions to allow AB the chance to pressure the ball. AB is not pg and Doc acknowledged he made a mistake trying to force AB into that role. Doc also said in the Ryan interview that Lee would start and when AB came back "we'll see". By no means is AB certain to get his starting spot back. Either way I doubt it's gonna be an issue.

[mmmmm]

Everyone is so pumped about Courtney Lee that they are completely compromising what Avery has proven to us. Courtney Lee is a good player and I am glad to have him on the Celtics but Avery will start. He will also be a star very soon.

This is what I'm talking about. Come on guys the guy is coming off surgery, had a stretch of good games, and people are going crazy.STOP IT. He has proven nothing really. Do you know how many players have a good stretch of like 20 games? COUNTLESS players over the years. Lee is being relegated to "ok player but nothing compared to the amazing superstar AB!!" Lee is FAR more proven than AB with several SEASONS of solid play..

You are talking as if Bradley was some journeyman who had a hot streak.  That's not really an accurate description of Bradley's career arc.  He was rated either #1 or #2 in the country coming out of H.S., pretty much tied with John Wall in every ranking.   At every level, once he's gotten sustained playing time, he's excelled (H.S., college, D-league and (finally, last year) NBA).   So its pretty clear that Bradley has elite talent and when given the minutes, that talent has consistently risen to the surface.

[manl_lui]

yeh, Bradley is coming off a surgery so he will be very rusty when he comes back. Hopefully it'll take him a game or two to get back into rhythm, but if he really played the way he did last year, than my god, can you imagine our lineup at the guards positions consisting of Rondo, Terry, Bradley and Lee...

that's a scary combo for the likes of Kobe and Wade. Not to mention we now have KG, Wilcox, Darko, and Jason Collins at the C spot, that's 24 fouls to use on the likes of Bynum and Dwight (of course we're not gonna let KG foul out)

I'm very excited for the season to begin