Time for AB to show up

[rutzan]

i love AB...love his demeanor...love his defense...

and...

it is time for him to show up...

i hate to say it...but...none of this he's better with rondo argument...

you're either a player to build around or you're complementary/role player...

time for AB to show us which one...

i know he's young...been hurt...been thrust into the pg position and ball-handling duties when he's not really suited for it...

but...35%FG is not going to cut it...

and...the knicks guards have been torching us...all of them...AB needs to shut somebody down this game...not slow them down...shut them down...and...prove he is the top-caliber defender we know him to be...

and...he needs to shoot well and score around 15 pts...if he doesn't...i don't think we win...

it's time for AB to show up...

i think he will and i think we will win...

[CelticG1]

He hasn't exactly been "thrust" into this roll

He's been it for a lot of the season and performed quite well.

He fell off a little in the second half but no where hnear like in this series.

During he year Danny was saying that ab could clearly be a pg and now during this series Doc is saying he clearly isn't a pg.

Danny wasn't just blowing smoke at the time cauee avery wasn't playing like this.

So yeah I agree with you. He's gotta do something. Antagonize, bully, defend, hustleetc. If he can't get it done offensively he's gotta be defending and making a little big plays. Not just okay defense and nothing else

[KGs Knee]

AB is simply not a PG.  His ball handling skills, passing ability and court vision are simply too poor.

AB is a SG.  He's best served playing next to a PG who can take care of these tasks, but also cross-match on the defensive end.

Whether or not Rondo is that PG is up for debate, although the early results day it is definitely manageable.

As for this particular playoff run, the C's best chance is to somehow ensure Bradley does not have to shoulder much ball handling responsibility.  So far the results have not been great.  We'll see of the C's can adjust.  Game 4 was a start.

[LarBrd33]

not a PG and definitely not a SG either.  Too small and offensively inept to play that position. 

His long-term future is a defensive role player off the bench.  His size is the biggest issue... same reason Jason Terry was a career backup who happened to start for a few teams.  Bradley can still be effective, but if he's starting you're in trouble.

[rutzan]

a lot depends if Doc goes big or small...AB needs take care of the ball better and make better entry passes...we can't afford the turnovers...they are killing us...i'm tired of hearing the announcers calling smith's name or shumpert's name or felton's name...AB needs to step up like the block on Wade..we need some explosive, igniting, game-changing plays on defense from AB...he is defintely capable...

[Evantime34]

Hopefully he can get some easy buckets on cuts to get him going. On offense I want to see him attacking the basket instead of shooting jumpers. If he sets an agressive tone early it will help us score for the rest of the game.

Since the knicks often play more than one point guard at a time his full court pressure defense has been taken away from him.

[sed522002]

If his shots aren't falling I just want to see all out hustle on the defensive end. In Game 3 you had Kidd and Prigioni diving for loose balls, disrupting plays..That's what we need him to do.

Rondo has been missed, but for me, I think he's missed in his rebounding role as a guard. You kinda take for granted how good he was, for his size, at grabbing those balls and getting down the court.

I would love for AB to score (we really need it),but if it's not happening he needs to make up for it on the defensive end. Because it's mentally effecting him in some ways in that area too.

[PhoSita]

I think Avery has a lot of work to do over the summer.  I'm confident he'll come in next season with a full training camp (for the first time!) and look better and have more consistency.

For now, though, I think he is what he is.

[Evantime34]

I think Avery has a lot of work to do over the summer.  I'm confident he'll come in next season with a full training camp (for the first time!) and look better and have more consistency.

For now, though, I think he is what he is.

TP, a lot of people are getting down on Bradley's future because of his recent play. Although he hasn't been great in the playoffs or to end the year I expect him to take a leap forward next year.

[Monkhouse]

Avery Bradley is getting thrown under the bus time, and time again. Surprise, surprise...

At the age of 22, his defense is far beyond what most players in the NBA are struggling to do, only being good on one end of the floor.

Avery Bradley has plenty of room to grow, and I don't think his small size would be a problem unless the SG is over 6'6. Felton might be too much for him to handle, but we've seen the defense Bradley has put on JR Smith.

Give him some slack, shoulder injuries while nothing severe, still take a few months to really heal from... We couldn't have expected him to blow out like Jeff Green did. Give him some more months to train in the off season, and we'll decide whether or not his ceiling would be a detriment to the Celtics.

Worse case, Bradley does terrible, teams will still take a chance at honing in on his defensive skills.

[blink]

Honestly our whole team has struggled in dealing w/ R Felton.  That guy has been a huge pain in our rear the whole series.  Finally in game 4 the guys started remembering the tape that they watched on him and started tipping / stealing the little floater pass in the post.  Felton is quicker and stronger than he looks.  I think it is the strength that AB is having a hard time with. 

I think AB gave us a good lift in the first 1/2 of game 4.  had some steals and impact plays.  But I agree he needs to disrupt the flow of the Knicks offense if possible.  That starts by not allowing felton the position and penetration that his game thrives on.

Avery Bradley is getting thrown under the bus time, and time again. Surprise, surprise...

At the age of 22, his defense is far beyond what most players in the NBA are struggling to do, only being good on one end of the floor.

Avery Bradley has plenty of room to grow, and I don't think his small size would be a problem unless the SG is over 6'6. Felton might be too much for him to handle, but we've seen the defense Bradley has put on JR Smith.

Give him some slack, shoulder injuries while nothing severe, still take a few months to really heal from... We couldn't have expected him to blow out like Jeff Green did. Give him some more months to train in the off season, and we'll decide whether or not his ceiling would be a detriment to the Celtics.

Worse case, Bradley does terrible, teams will still take a chance at honing in on his defensive skills.

[Spicoli]

If Avery couldn't play defense he would probably be out of the NBA or nailed to the bench. That's how poor he is in every other facet of the game. I don't have anything against Avery but he's just not very good. At the very least though, i wish he would pressure the point guard full court like he did to Jameer Nelson. At least do something to throw off the other teams rhythm.

[YoungOne87]

he needs rondo to be some kind of effective..

[eugen]

AB as a PG has big limitations and I ma 100% sure tha he can not make it. I did not understand why DA did not sign Delonte West, after Rondos injury

[hwangjini_1]

good point at this stage of the playoffs. i have been stunned that bradley is not putting up bigger scoring numbers.

he has a decent jumpshot from around 16 feet and can make 3 pointers from the corner. but he seems to have zero confidence in them right now. also lacking is he famous cut-to-the-basket-for-a-layup play. i have not seen it yet.

also, i noticed that NO ONE looks for him on offense. the rest of the team simply does not pass him the ball with the intent of having him drive or shoot or score.

is he still injured? i dont know. has his confidence dropped? again, i dont know.

but the celtics need scorers to win this series. i hope bradley becomes part of the solution.