Avery Bradley believes he should make NBA All-Defensive team

[Maurice98]

http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2015/04/boston_celtics_avery_bradley_b.html                                       

He sounds angry about it and he proclaims himself as the best on-ball defender in the league. (I disagree with this)
Does he really deserve it? I say yes because there are few guys in the league who can lockdown and stay in ftont of point guards and smaller shooting guards. Kyrie Irving and Damian Lillard said that AB is the the player who guards them the best.

What's your opinion on this?

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

I don't pay attention to other players around the league closely enough to know. I do know that fans  of the Celts don't give AB enough credit for his D (they MAINLY care about O), so it's not a surprise when other people don't give him any cred.

[kraidstar]

well, clearly kyrie and lillard are just celtic homers.

seriously, though, i think bradley has done a good if not great job, and as the team plays better defense around him, it's been easier for him to make an impact individually on the defensive end. with extra talent around him he can gamble a bit more and make big plays, knowing his teammates have his back.

hopefully we get an elite defensive center soon, with better talent on the back end i can see smart, bradley, and crowder having a field day getting steals and breakaway dunks.

edit: to answer the OP's question, i don't know that he's all-nba this year... IMO his teammate smart has been a bit better... but clearly bradley should at least be considered, and maybe not getting the votes will push him to work even harder.

[Celts Fan 508]

There is a first and second team for this award, so the question is AB a top 4 defensive guard?  The only ones I could think of would be Chris Paul, Jimmy Butler, Mike Conley possibly?  Tony Allen?  So I think he should be on the team.

[Rosco917]

I'm just glad fans are learning being an all NBA defender, doesn't mean that you shut the man your guarding down in total.

At the start of the season AB was not quite at his best on the D end of the court, but as the season has progressed he has really come on. Nothing less than second team IMO.

Smart should get 2nd team too, but being a rookie he may not. In the case of Smart I can see a first team in his future. Wait until he learns the league.

[mgent]

Not even the best defender on the team.

[SHAQATTACK]

He usually gets credit from other teams broadcasters as being an excellent defender .   One of the few players on Celtics that opponents announcers ever have anything good to talk about . 

Seems like shot blocker , like Howard are generally given the most credit .

[DarkAzcura]

Yes. The Celtics have a top ~14 defense, which is amazing considering the lack of any type of defensive front court presence. Bradley, Smart, and Crowder have carried this defense for the last 3 months, and while I'm more impressed by Smart's positioning at times, Bradley is really the solid nucleus of that core of defenders.

[greece66]

> "I know I'm the best on-ball defender in the NBA."

Isn't this supposed to be for other people to judge?

He is an elite defender, but this statement sounds out of character.

[KingofDaPlayazBall]

As a person who really pays attention to defense, I have to say Avery does not deserve it.  I can easily name 4 guards better at defense than him at the top of my head:
Pat Beverly, Tony Allen, Marcus Smart, Jimmy Butler
I think his defense has really been mediocre to just above average this year.  I watched almost every game this season and I dont remember him locking an opponent down besides 1 or 2 games.  He also seem to lack playmaking abilities on defense in terms of getting steals and forcing turnovers.
I think his defense is still surviving off of his reputation from his early years

Side Note:
I think you have to take into account that our team lacks rim protection.  Because of this, it might be harder for Avery to play aggressive on Defense.  He might get back to that elite level when we have rim protection

[kozlodoev]

Avery's a funny guy. Perhaps he should learn how to deal with a pick.

[makaveli]

Not even the best defender on the team.

exactly, he is nowhere near all defensive team neighbourhood

[Rondo9]

Not even the best defender on the team.

exactly, he is nowhere near all defensive team neighbourhood

Sssesh what's wrong with hyping himself up?

[makaveli]

Not even the best defender on the team.

exactly, he is nowhere near all defensive team neighbourhood

Sssesh what's wrong with hyping himself up?

it's just because he was hyping all of us up when he made it a goal in the preseason, and then compleatly whent away from defending the way he used to so that he can be more aggresive on the offensive end.
i was so hyped to see a smart/bradley defensive duo, instead we just got smart !

[viulo]

I agree he started slowly, but for me he has been better than Smart the last 20 or 30 games.
Smart puts in the effort but can't stay in front of fast guards.
That said, and considering Avery's whole season... no, he shouldn't make it. Post All-Star, yeah, he should.