C's want AB to 'calm down' on defense

[Eddie20]

But the Boston Celtics now want more from Bradley. And in this case, more sometimes means less.

“I was always on the ball last year so I could get time off the shot clock, but this year they want me to calm down a little bit more, not be so reckless I guess you could say on defense,” Bradley said Tuesday after a morning shootaround at the Barclays Center. “They want me to be disciplined, pick my spots every now and then, pick up fullcourt but get back and play angles. They’re just trying to make me into a great team defender, as well as an individual defender.”

Brad Stevens said, “I think what people think Avery’s really good at is true, is picking the ball up the court. But he can be really, really good off the ball. And that’s where we think we can get even better, is off the ball.

But perhaps Bradley’s evolving defensive role is most interesting. The guard said the changed focus could help preserve his legs.

“But I don’t think that’s why they’re doing it. They just want me to be a better defender,” he said. “At times I found myself trying to pick up full court, then you see the coach (motions with arms): ‘Get back.’ It was weird, but at the same time it makes me disciplined. I didn’t go for steals. I was just being smart on the defensive end, and that helps our team out a lot.”

http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2013/10/boston_celtics_news_2013_avery_3.html

calm down on defense doesn't necessarily means go easy on defense. Look at the [dang] quote! It says to not be reckless. Play tight D, body your man, but don't be reaching, etc, etc. Bradley is still playing elite defense. Get those tanking conspiracies out of here!

Exactly. It just means playing smarter. I'll use Joe Dumars as an example. Here's someone who didn't pick up ballhandlers full court and didn't gamble (he averaged less than 1 steal per game for his career) and yet he is still regarded as of the best perimeter defenders of all time.

[Snakehead]

This makes sense.  I like what Avery does because he makes some ball handlers very uncomfortable but if you think about it he could be doing things like stripping bigs or playing passing lanes more and be very effective at doing those type of things.

[Clench123]

Tank move for sure

[sed522002]

But the Boston Celtics now want more from Bradley. And in this case, more sometimes means less.

“I was always on the ball last year so I could get time off the shot clock, but this year they want me to calm down a little bit more, not be so reckless I guess you could say on defense,” Bradley said Tuesday after a morning shootaround at the Barclays Center. “They want me to be disciplined, pick my spots every now and then, pick up fullcourt but get back and play angles. They’re just trying to make me into a great team defender, as well as an individual defender.”

Brad Stevens said, “I think what people think Avery’s really good at is true, is picking the ball up the court. But he can be really, really good off the ball. And that’s where we think we can get even better, is off the ball.

But perhaps Bradley’s evolving defensive role is most interesting. The guard said the changed focus could help preserve his legs.

“But I don’t think that’s why they’re doing it. They just want me to be a better defender,” he said. “At times I found myself trying to pick up full court, then you see the coach (motions with arms): ‘Get back.’ It was weird, but at the same time it makes me disciplined. I didn’t go for steals. I was just being smart on the defensive end, and that helps our team out a lot.”

http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2013/10/boston_celtics_news_2013_avery_3.html

calm down on defense doesn't necessarily means go easy on defense. Look at the [dang] quote! It says to not be reckless. Play tight D, body your man, but don't be reaching, etc, etc. Bradley is still playing elite defense. Get those tanking conspiracies out of here!

Right, that's why I bolded that part of the quote. He wants AB to make better decisions while still playing top defense. I don't see any tanking in that, but that's just my opinion.

[Galeto]

I hope this means he backs off just a tiny bit so he doesn't give up as much dribble penetration or pick up silly touch fouls far from the rim.  It's not backing off so much as respecting the quickness and ballhandling ability of NBA point guards and letting your lateral quickness plays to its full effect.