Avery Bradley getting Praise

[hpantazo]

Bradley should focus on ball handling the next 2 years...If he was good with the ball in his hands he could be a borderline star.

That and passing.  He went 5 games in a row last year without an assist   WOW!  This is getting to be quite comical, though, isn't it?  If only he could dribble and pass he'd be a star

He's made the second team all defensive team and has improved his outside shooting this last year, so yes I stand by the fact that if he had good handles he'd be a star. Is him not having an assist in 5 games in a tanking season where he was a primary scorer really that much of a knock? Most stars have holes in their game. Love doesnt play defense, Kobe doesnt pass, etc. Look I didn't want them to resign Bradley, I'm just saying if he fixed his major flaw he could be a borderline star. Similar to how people say if Rondo only had an outside shot he could be an elite player.

Rondo is an elite player, imo, but anyway, back to Avery.  I get what you're saying, but he's never improved his passing, and it's pathetic to go 5 games in a row without an assist.  Not one?  You've got to be able to get other people involved, and to me, Bradley looked like he had tunnel vision last year - it was either a one dribble pull up jumper behind a pick or nothing.  Nothing at all.  He didn't attack the basket because he can't dribble, and he was too selfish to even give the ball back to the guy who got him open via the pick.  I don't know, but that cannot be a good sign of things to come, barring a substantial improvement this year.

Pathetic? 

In his second season as an NBA player, Avery Bradley was so dominate defensively that his play forced Doc to bench Ray Allen - a surefire hall of famer and arguably the greatest shooter the game has ever seen.

In the playoffs that season his +/- stat was second best on the team after KG (who had one of the best +/- stats in the entire league).  That team was a defensive powerhouse any time Bradley and KG were on the court together.

I would like to emphasise once again that this occured in Bradley's second season as a pro, at the age of what...20?  After a rookie season in which he barely played a game.   

He would finish the season with an All-Defensive 2nd team selection, which he then repeated again he following season.

Bradley's major criticism after this was that he was a one-dimensional player, and would never be more than a defensive role player.

So last season he came out and averaged 17 points Per-36 while shooting a very respectable 44% from the field, 40% from three, and 80% from the free throw line.  For the record, those statistics ranked him in the upper-tier of NBA SG's from an offensive standpoint (check his ranks in those categories and you will see). 

He also, from memory, ranked top 5 among SG's in rebounding, averaging around 5 rebounds per-36 minutes.

He scored over 20 points sixteen times - second only to Jeff Green.

But yes, his lack of assist numbers is "pathetic" as you say.

Do you realise that Bradley was also ranked among the SG elite in terms of fewest turnovers?  That means that while he may not be creating scoring opportunities for his teammates, he isn't creating them for his opponents either.

Bradley is not a point guard.  Passing and ball handling are not his primary roles.  His primary roles as a shooting guard are to score, and to defend the opposing SG.  He did both at a high level, and if his massive improvement last season is anything to go off it looks like he's only getting better.

As for the comments about Bradley's lack of offensive versatility...he seemed to do a pretty decent job of hitting open threes (shot 40% from three), of hitting pull up jumpers from midrange, of scoring in transition, and of scoring with that 'one dribble pull-up'.  Plus we already know he's very good cutter and moves very well without the ball. 

Oh and selfishness...really?!?!?! Bradley's offensive shooting percentages were up there with some of the best in the league among starting SG's, despite the fact that he was forced to become the #2 scoring option because everybody else on the team was too [dang] scared to shoot.  Jeff Green would frequently catch the ball, then pass it back out, when he had a good shot.  People criticised the hell out of him for passing up those shots, for not being aggressive enough, for being too soft.  Bradley had the guts to take those shots (and usually, make them) and now you criticise him for that?

People here are just rediculous, really. 

When people critcise Sully for taking too many bad threes, everybody jumps to his defense and makes a huge deal about the fact that it wasn't his choice, and that the coach pushed him to shoot threes. 

But then when the coach pushes Bradley to shoot more, and he does exactly that, all he gets is criticism from people labelling him a 'chucker', 'selfish', a 'ball hog'...you name it. 

So hey, why don't we let Bradley walk? 

We can sign a better SG like Eric Gordon.  Oh wait...he's a bad defender and too short.

Tyreke Evans.  Oh wait...he can't shoot, he's a bad defender, and he's a headcase.

Kevin Martin.  Oh wait...he's old, and he can't defend. 

I know...forget SF entirely, we'll trade for Carmello Anthony!  Oh wait...he's a ballhog and a prima donner who doesn't defend.

I give up, really.  What move would actually make the people here happy?  I guess Danny Ainge only really has two options:

1) Buy a time machine and draft Michael Jordan
2) Trade Kris Humphreys and Gerald Wallace for Lebron James

I guess one of those moves would make the people here happy, although there would no doubt be plenty of complaining about all that tanking we'd need to do to get MJ in the lottery.

TP for a great post.  Bradley's game does have its deficiencies, but he's largely under-appreciated here.

But even if Danny went back in time and drafted Michael Jordan, I could see the CelticsBlog forum topics already.

"Jordan will be a bust.  Fire Danny Ainge!"
"Why didn't Danny trade up to get Olajuwon?"

After his first season averaging 28 ppg on 51% shooting: 
"Jordan's a chucker"

After his second season (healthy) averaging 37 ppg:
"Jordan's still a chucker"

After failing to lead the C's to a title in the first 7 years of his career:
"Jordan will never be able to lead his team to a championship"
"TRADE IDEA: Jordan for [random scrub prospect #1], [random scrub prospect #2], and 1993 first rounder"

So on and so forth.  It's impossible to please some of the people here.

did you just compare Bradley to Michael Jordan, or am I hallucinating?

[SCeltic34]

Bradley should focus on ball handling the next 2 years...If he was good with the ball in his hands he could be a borderline star.

That and passing.  He went 5 games in a row last year without an assist   WOW!  This is getting to be quite comical, though, isn't it?  If only he could dribble and pass he'd be a star

He's made the second team all defensive team and has improved his outside shooting this last year, so yes I stand by the fact that if he had good handles he'd be a star. Is him not having an assist in 5 games in a tanking season where he was a primary scorer really that much of a knock? Most stars have holes in their game. Love doesnt play defense, Kobe doesnt pass, etc. Look I didn't want them to resign Bradley, I'm just saying if he fixed his major flaw he could be a borderline star. Similar to how people say if Rondo only had an outside shot he could be an elite player.

Rondo is an elite player, imo, but anyway, back to Avery.  I get what you're saying, but he's never improved his passing, and it's pathetic to go 5 games in a row without an assist.  Not one?  You've got to be able to get other people involved, and to me, Bradley looked like he had tunnel vision last year - it was either a one dribble pull up jumper behind a pick or nothing.  Nothing at all.  He didn't attack the basket because he can't dribble, and he was too selfish to even give the ball back to the guy who got him open via the pick.  I don't know, but that cannot be a good sign of things to come, barring a substantial improvement this year.

Pathetic? 

In his second season as an NBA player, Avery Bradley was so dominate defensively that his play forced Doc to bench Ray Allen - a surefire hall of famer and arguably the greatest shooter the game has ever seen.

In the playoffs that season his +/- stat was second best on the team after KG (who had one of the best +/- stats in the entire league).  That team was a defensive powerhouse any time Bradley and KG were on the court together.

I would like to emphasise once again that this occured in Bradley's second season as a pro, at the age of what...20?  After a rookie season in which he barely played a game.   

He would finish the season with an All-Defensive 2nd team selection, which he then repeated again he following season.

Bradley's major criticism after this was that he was a one-dimensional player, and would never be more than a defensive role player.

So last season he came out and averaged 17 points Per-36 while shooting a very respectable 44% from the field, 40% from three, and 80% from the free throw line.  For the record, those statistics ranked him in the upper-tier of NBA SG's from an offensive standpoint (check his ranks in those categories and you will see). 

He also, from memory, ranked top 5 among SG's in rebounding, averaging around 5 rebounds per-36 minutes.

He scored over 20 points sixteen times - second only to Jeff Green.

But yes, his lack of assist numbers is "pathetic" as you say.

Do you realise that Bradley was also ranked among the SG elite in terms of fewest turnovers?  That means that while he may not be creating scoring opportunities for his teammates, he isn't creating them for his opponents either.

Bradley is not a point guard.  Passing and ball handling are not his primary roles.  His primary roles as a shooting guard are to score, and to defend the opposing SG.  He did both at a high level, and if his massive improvement last season is anything to go off it looks like he's only getting better.

As for the comments about Bradley's lack of offensive versatility...he seemed to do a pretty decent job of hitting open threes (shot 40% from three), of hitting pull up jumpers from midrange, of scoring in transition, and of scoring with that 'one dribble pull-up'.  Plus we already know he's very good cutter and moves very well without the ball. 

Oh and selfishness...really?!?!?! Bradley's offensive shooting percentages were up there with some of the best in the league among starting SG's, despite the fact that he was forced to become the #2 scoring option because everybody else on the team was too [dang] scared to shoot.  Jeff Green would frequently catch the ball, then pass it back out, when he had a good shot.  People criticised the hell out of him for passing up those shots, for not being aggressive enough, for being too soft.  Bradley had the guts to take those shots (and usually, make them) and now you criticise him for that?

People here are just rediculous, really. 

When people critcise Sully for taking too many bad threes, everybody jumps to his defense and makes a huge deal about the fact that it wasn't his choice, and that the coach pushed him to shoot threes. 

But then when the coach pushes Bradley to shoot more, and he does exactly that, all he gets is criticism from people labelling him a 'chucker', 'selfish', a 'ball hog'...you name it. 

So hey, why don't we let Bradley walk? 

We can sign a better SG like Eric Gordon.  Oh wait...he's a bad defender and too short.

Tyreke Evans.  Oh wait...he can't shoot, he's a bad defender, and he's a headcase.

Kevin Martin.  Oh wait...he's old, and he can't defend. 

I know...forget SF entirely, we'll trade for Carmello Anthony!  Oh wait...he's a ballhog and a prima donner who doesn't defend.

I give up, really.  What move would actually make the people here happy?  I guess Danny Ainge only really has two options:

1) Buy a time machine and draft Michael Jordan
2) Trade Kris Humphreys and Gerald Wallace for Lebron James

I guess one of those moves would make the people here happy, although there would no doubt be plenty of complaining about all that tanking we'd need to do to get MJ in the lottery.

TP for a great post.  Bradley's game does have its deficiencies, but he's largely under-appreciated here.

But even if Danny went back in time and drafted Michael Jordan, I could see the CelticsBlog forum topics already.

"Jordan will be a bust.  Fire Danny Ainge!"
"Why didn't Danny trade up to get Olajuwon?"

After his first season averaging 28 ppg on 51% shooting: 
"Jordan's a chucker"

After his second season (healthy) averaging 37 ppg:
"Jordan's still a chucker"

After failing to lead the C's to a title in the first 7 years of his career:
"Jordan will never be able to lead his team to a championship"
"TRADE IDEA: Jordan for [random scrub prospect #1], [random scrub prospect #2], and 1993 first rounder"

So on and so forth.  It's impossible to please some of the people here.

did you just compare Bradley to Michael Jordan, or am I hallucinating?

Not hallucinating, just misreading.  It was just a snarky post as to what CB threads would be like if we had a time machine and drafted MJ.

[Cman]

People here are just rediculous, really. 

When people critcise Sully for taking too many bad threes, everybody jumps to his defense and makes a huge deal about the fact that it wasn't his choice, and that the coach pushed him to shoot threes. 

But then when the coach pushes Bradley to shoot more, and he does exactly that, all he gets is criticism from people labelling him a 'chucker', 'selfish', a 'ball hog'...you name it. 

So hey, why don't we let Bradley walk? 

We can sign a better SG like Eric Gordon.  Oh wait...he's a bad defender and too short.

Tyreke Evans.  Oh wait...he can't shoot, he's a bad defender, and he's a headcase.

Kevin Martin.  Oh wait...he's old, and he can't defend. 

I know...forget SF entirely, we'll trade for Carmello Anthony!  Oh wait...he's a ballhog and a prima donner who doesn't defend.

I give up, really.  What move would actually make the people here happy?  I guess Danny Ainge only really has two options:

1) Buy a time machine and draft Michael Jordan
2) Trade Kris Humphreys and Gerald Wallace for Lebron James

I guess one of those moves would make the people here happy, although there would no doubt be plenty of complaining about all that tanking we'd need to do to get MJ in the lottery.

Hahaha!
Good stuff! I hear you on this.

[Beat LA]

Bradley should focus on ball handling the next 2 years...If he was good with the ball in his hands he could be a borderline star.

That and passing.  He went 5 games in a row last year without an assist   WOW!  This is getting to be quite comical, though, isn't it?  If only he could dribble and pass he'd be a star

He's made the second team all defensive team and has improved his outside shooting this last year, so yes I stand by the fact that if he had good handles he'd be a star. Is him not having an assist in 5 games in a tanking season where he was a primary scorer really that much of a knock? Most stars have holes in their game. Love doesnt play defense, Kobe doesnt pass, etc. Look I didn't want them to resign Bradley, I'm just saying if he fixed his major flaw he could be a borderline star. Similar to how people say if Rondo only had an outside shot he could be an elite player.

Rondo is an elite player, imo, but anyway, back to Avery.  I get what you're saying, but he's never improved his passing, and it's pathetic to go 5 games in a row without an assist.  Not one?  You've got to be able to get other people involved, and to me, Bradley looked like he had tunnel vision last year - it was either a one dribble pull up jumper behind a pick or nothing.  Nothing at all.  He didn't attack the basket because he can't dribble, and he was too selfish to even give the ball back to the guy who got him open via the pick.  I don't know, but that cannot be a good sign of things to come, barring a substantial improvement this year.

Pathetic? 

In his second season as an NBA player, Avery Bradley was so dominate defensively that his play forced Doc to bench Ray Allen - a surefire hall of famer and arguably the greatest shooter the game has ever seen.

In the playoffs that season his +/- stat was second best on the team after KG (who had one of the best +/- stats in the entire league).  That team was a defensive powerhouse any time Bradley and KG were on the court together.

I would like to emphasise once again that this occured in Bradley's second season as a pro, at the age of what...20?  After a rookie season in which he barely played a game.   

He would finish the season with an All-Defensive 2nd team selection, which he then repeated again he following season.

Bradley's major criticism after this was that he was a one-dimensional player, and would never be more than a defensive role player.

So last season he came out and averaged 17 points Per-36 while shooting a very respectable 44% from the field, 40% from three, and 80% from the free throw line.  For the record, those statistics ranked him in the upper-tier of NBA SG's from an offensive standpoint (check his ranks in those categories and you will see). 

He also, from memory, ranked top 5 among SG's in rebounding, averaging around 5 rebounds per-36 minutes.

He scored over 20 points sixteen times - second only to Jeff Green.

But yes, his lack of assist numbers is "pathetic" as you say.

Do you realise that Bradley was also ranked among the SG elite in terms of fewest turnovers?  That means that while he may not be creating scoring opportunities for his teammates, he isn't creating them for his opponents either.

Bradley is not a point guard.  Passing and ball handling are not his primary roles.  His primary roles as a shooting guard are to score, and to defend the opposing SG.  He did both at a high level, and if his massive improvement last season is anything to go off it looks like he's only getting better.

As for the comments about Bradley's lack of offensive versatility...he seemed to do a pretty decent job of hitting open threes (shot 40% from three), of hitting pull up jumpers from midrange, of scoring in transition, and of scoring with that 'one dribble pull-up'.  Plus we already know he's very good cutter and moves very well without the ball. 

Oh and selfishness...really?!?!?! Bradley's offensive shooting percentages were up there with some of the best in the league among starting SG's, despite the fact that he was forced to become the #2 scoring option because everybody else on the team was too [dang] scared to shoot.  Jeff Green would frequently catch the ball, then pass it back out, when he had a good shot.  People criticised the hell out of him for passing up those shots, for not being aggressive enough, for being too soft.  Bradley had the guts to take those shots (and usually, make them) and now you criticise him for that?

People here are just rediculous, really. 

When people critcise Sully for taking too many bad threes, everybody jumps to his defense and makes a huge deal about the fact that it wasn't his choice, and that the coach pushed him to shoot threes. 

But then when the coach pushes Bradley to shoot more, and he does exactly that, all he gets is criticism from people labelling him a 'chucker', 'selfish', a 'ball hog'...you name it. 

So hey, why don't we let Bradley walk? 

We can sign a better SG like Eric Gordon.  Oh wait...he's a bad defender and too short.

Tyreke Evans.  Oh wait...he can't shoot, he's a bad defender, and he's a headcase.

Kevin Martin.  Oh wait...he's old, and he can't defend. 

I know...forget SF entirely, we'll trade for Carmello Anthony!  Oh wait...he's a ballhog and a prima donner who doesn't defend.

I give up, really.  What move would actually make the people here happy?  I guess Danny Ainge only really has two options:

1) Buy a time machine and draft Michael Jordan
2) Trade Kris Humphreys and Gerald Wallace for Lebron James

I guess one of those moves would make the people here happy, although there would no doubt be plenty of complaining about all that tanking we'd need to do to get MJ in the lottery.

Everyone knows Bradley improved last season, but posts like this that make it seem like he does nothing wrong and that he couldn't benefit from becoming a better passer or ball handler don't add much to the discussion. Bradley is not a good passer or ball handler, and if he wants to be worth his contract he should look to improve both those areas, because as a severely undersized and injury prone guard he will need to round out his game to be worth his deal.

 I'm fine with the deal now, I think he has the potential to improve, but lets cut it with these posts that just because our players are in green that they are infallible.

The emboldened text highlights the point that I was trying to make.  I like Avery, but it seemed like he was a black hole on offense last year.  I'm not asking the guy to be Rondo with his passing, but I did expect some improvement.  Look, his hard work last summer certainly paid off, and I hope that that trend continues in terms of passing and ball handling.  I love how he actually moves without the ball (a rarity in today's game) and his midrange game is excellent.

As far as his play in place of Ray Allen, yes, he was awesome, and I was not aware of those statistics, so TP, but you also have to factor in that if Ray didn't get hurt, Bradley may never have gotten the playing time he needed to show just how good he is.  I watched all of those games as well, and, Bosh or no Bosh in the first 4 games of the 2012 ECF, if Bradley hadn't gotten hurt, we would have beaten that Heat team. 

Anyway, I'm sorry for making you mad as that was never my intention.  Hopefully we'll see his improvement in those two areas next season  

[Beat LA]

People here are just rediculous, really. 

When people critcise Sully for taking too many bad threes, everybody jumps to his defense and makes a huge deal about the fact that it wasn't his choice, and that the coach pushed him to shoot threes. 

But then when the coach pushes Bradley to shoot more, and he does exactly that, all he gets is criticism from people labelling him a 'chucker', 'selfish', a 'ball hog'...you name it. 

So hey, why don't we let Bradley walk? 

We can sign a better SG like Eric Gordon.  Oh wait...he's a bad defender and too short.

Tyreke Evans.  Oh wait...he can't shoot, he's a bad defender, and he's a headcase.

Kevin Martin.  Oh wait...he's old, and he can't defend. 

I know...forget SF entirely, we'll trade for Carmello Anthony!  Oh wait...he's a ballhog and a prima donner who doesn't defend.

I give up, really.  What move would actually make the people here happy?  I guess Danny Ainge only really has two options:

1) Buy a time machine and draft Michael Jordan
2) Trade Kris Humphreys and Gerald Wallace for Lebron James

I guess one of those moves would make the people here happy, although there would no doubt be plenty of complaining about all that tanking we'd need to do to get MJ in the lottery.

Hahaha!
Good stuff! I hear you on this.

While I understand what you're saying, I do think that some of those complaints come from the difference in their positions.  As a pf, Sullinger's size would be better suited in the post, but instead, he let's his man off the hook defensively when he's shooting from downtown.  Is that a coaching decision?  Probably, but power forwards, traditionally, especially ones of his size, play inside, so that's where some of the complaints come from, I believe.  It nice that he can hit a midrange shot, but he should be in the post, imo.

In the case of Bradley, his position works against him in this sense - although he is a sg, in today's NBA, the offenses of most teams are run by both guard spots, and since Rondo wasn't on the court, he should have made a greater effort to pass the ball, imo, instead of attempting to shoulder the offensive burden alone.  The game will be much easier for Avery the moment he realizes that getting other people involved makes it harder for opposing defenses to take away his offense by doubling him, etc.  Hopefully, we'll all see a dramatic improvement this year; and again, I'm sorry for angering you - it certainly wasn't intentional.

[bballdog384]

Bradley went from a: "he's only good at defense - needs to add something else to his game" player

to adding solid shooting to his resume in only one year.

How can we expect him to add everything to his game all at once?

And last year he was the #2 option on offense - he shot a lot of contested shots on a rebuilding team. Imagine him as the #4 option on offense (realistic when the C's are contenders - and a good price for 8mil). His movement without the ball and drop dead shooting - combined with his defense - will make him unstoppable.

Yes, he needs to improve on his ball movement and handles, but I'm sure thats next on his list. With Steven's style of motion offense, he's in the perfect place to get better.

[RyNye]

I like Avery as much as anyone, but let's not overpraise his offense. Yes, he's gotten better. I hope he continues to get better. He's 3 point shooting certainly improved. However, his 2 point percentage is below the league average (though, to be fair, only barely) and so is his true shooting percentage. His assist-to-turnover ratio is also sub-par. He needs to improve his ball handling and his offensive decision making a little; that said, I am confident he can do that, given the progress he made this past season. He is still young, and is already a good 3-and-D player. That's a nice start.