Bradley averages less than 2 FT's per game

[aingeforthree]

That's a starting 2 guard ?  Less than 2 free throws per game ?

We can and should do better than Bradley. He's great defensively, but on offense......he's got to be hitting that night. He's extremely inconsistent with the outside shot and that's where the majority of his shots come from. He isn't a very good passer (does not move the ball or swing it often), and he struggles getting to the basket off the dribble (can't drive).

[Smitty77]

That's a starting 2 guard ?  Less than 2 free throws per game ?

We can and should do better than Bradley. He's great defensively, but on offense......he's got to be hitting that night. He's extremely inconsistent with the outside shot and that's where the majority of his shots come from. He isn't a very good passer (does not move the ball or swing it often), and he struggles getting to the basket off the dribble (can't drive).

Totally agree aingeforthree!!!

Smitty77

[Al91]

I mentioned the following in another thread earlier today talking about Ray and Avery:

Avery has shot about 6% from 3 this month, for what it's worth. I know this is a Crowder thread, but sometimes I feel for AB. Fans want him to shoot 3s, which requires him to always be moving and attempting to free himself like Ray. Analysts label his lack of getting to the line a deficiency in his game. My question is: which is it? Wade by reputation isn't a great shooter but he's fantastic at penetrating and drawing fouls to get to the line. Meanwhile, we want AB to be a great shooter, but without realizing the cost of which is likely less FT attempts and more moving around the perimeter.

If we want him to be a stronger threat from 3 then he'll have to hover around the perimeter as much as possible, thereby resulting in fewer attempts at the rim where he's most likely to get followed (or on the drive I suppose).

As a whole the lack of FTA on this team is disappointing but there's so much emphasis on the 3 that I'm not surprised when Amir, IT, and Crowder are the only ones seeing the line consistently. They're the only ones attacking the rim!

Bradley had a better start to the year than how he's playing now, which gives me hope. I mean, he's very, VERY bad right now. He can turn back in an instant though, interesting thing to watch for this evening. It appears the better SGs in this year can play the PG position as well, but that's something we have to give up on with Bradley. He proved incapable of doing so a couple years ago during Rondo's ACL absence and I distinctly remember a late-game possession against Phoenix when Bradley had the ball on the wing and dribbled between his legs a bit, but moved no closer to the rim. His handle doesn't appear strong enough for dribble-drives to the hoop.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I mentioned the following in another thread earlier today talking about Ray and Avery:

Avery has shot about 6% from 3 this month, for what it's worth. I know this is a Crowder thread, but sometimes I feel for AB. Fans want him to shoot 3s, which requires him to always be moving and attempting to free himself like Ray. Analysts label his lack of getting to the line a deficiency in his game. My question is: which is it? Wade by reputation isn't a great shooter but he's fantastic at penetrating and drawing fouls to get to the line. Meanwhile, we want AB to be a great shooter, but without realizing the cost of which is likely less FT attempts and more moving around the perimeter.

If we want him to be a stronger threat from 3 then he'll have to hover around the perimeter as much as possible, thereby resulting in fewer attempts at the rim where he's most likely to get followed (or on the drive I suppose).

As a whole the lack of FTA on this team is disappointing but there's so much emphasis on the 3 that I'm not surprised when Amir, IT, and Crowder are the only ones seeing the line consistently. They're the only ones attacking the rim!

Bradley had a better start to the year than how he's playing now, which gives me hope. I mean, he's very, VERY bad right now. He can turn back in an instant though, interesting thing to watch for this evening. It appears the better SGs in this year can play the PG position as well, but that's something we have to give up on with Bradley. He proved incapable of doing so a couple years ago during Rondo's ACL absence and I distinctly remember a late-game possession against Phoenix when Bradley had the ball on the wing and dribbled between his legs a bit, but moved no closer to the rim. His handle doesn't appear strong enough for dribble-drives to the hoop.

I'll just say this. I don't want Bradley penetrating much... that's a TO waiting to happen. I want to see him cut more. He used to be an excellent cutter. Would love to see him get back to that.

[mctyson]

Bradley doesn't penetrate that much because he is not a very good ball handler and unlike IT4, is not able to protect the ball from getting blocked as well.

[PhoSita]

Avery brings some nice things to the table as a starting shooting guard.  At a shallow position,  you could do a lot worse.

But he's not the full package.  He doesn't get to the rim very often, nor does he get to the free throw line, which is the premise of this thread.  He's not much of a playmaker for others.  If he tries to take more than a few dribbles he's likely to turn it over.  His shooting runs very hot and very cold.  He's not much of a rebounder due to his lack of size.

If he were the full package, he probably wouldn't have been available where the Celts drafted him, and even if he had been, they'd be paying him twice as much as they pay him now.

[Greyman]

AB's shortcomings always seem to attract attention when other players on the team are excelling. While you can't deny his areas of weakness I think he is also the sort of player where stats don't always tell the whole story. His number of steals for instance doesn't always show how much he has disrupted the opposition's ball handlers.

Personally I would like to see him concentrating more on hitting 3s. He has shown earlier in the season that he can be a consistent scorer from range. If we have that sort of threat then it helps everybody.

[aingeforthree]

To be honest, I don't mind the outside shot, 3's, etc.  I also don't mind the lack of penetration (that's what she said).

What I do mind is his passing.  Swing the darn ball every once and awhile.  Who knows, it might come back around for an even better shot.

[Al91]

To be honest, I don't mind the outside shot, 3's, etc.  I also don't mind the lack of penetration (that's what she said).

What I do mind is his passing.  Swing the darn ball every once and awhile.  Who knows, it might come back around for an even better shot.

BIG issue with this team. I don't know, I feel like I'm harping on them and focusing on only a couple possessions a game but I feel as if the guys are freelancing on offense when it's a one pass, one shot possession. Maybe they're going for shots that are in rhythm/the flow of the offense/whatever, but I'd love to see more passing. If we can get guys wide open then hopefully we'd see the shooting % go up.

[Chris22]

AB is a jump shooter, not a driver.

[Celtics18]

Avery brings some nice things to the table as a starting shooting guard.  At a shallow position,  you could do a lot worse.

But he's not the full package.  He doesn't get to the rim very often, nor does he get to the free throw line, which is the premise of this thread.  He's not much of a playmaker for others.  If he tries to take more than a few dribbles he's likely to turn it over.  His shooting runs very hot and very cold.  He's not much of a rebounder due to his lack of size.

If he were the full package, he probably wouldn't have been available where the Celts drafted him, and even if he had been, they'd be paying him twice as much as they pay him now.

Very few players at his position are the "full package" (or at any position, for that matter).

[PhoSita]

Avery brings some nice things to the table as a starting shooting guard.  At a shallow position,  you could do a lot worse.

But he's not the full package.  He doesn't get to the rim very often, nor does he get to the free throw line, which is the premise of this thread.  He's not much of a playmaker for others.  If he tries to take more than a few dribbles he's likely to turn it over.  His shooting runs very hot and very cold.  He's not much of a rebounder due to his lack of size.

If he were the full package, he probably wouldn't have been available where the Celts drafted him, and even if he had been, they'd be paying him twice as much as they pay him now.

Very few players at his position are the "full package" (or at any position, for that matter).

Right, I believe I noted that.

Bradley's far from a great player, but you could do a lot worse at shooting guard.

Celts really need more well-rounded offensive players, though.  Upgrades in the starting lineup will be needed.  Could be at SG, but PF/C is a more likely spot to upgrade.