Avery Bradley finally got to see some game time last night. After missing his first couple shots, he hit a baseline jumper (that looked fluid and confident) for his first NBA bucket.
Here's what coach had to say.
Postgame notes: Bradley makes NBA debut - Boston Celtics Blog - ESPN Boston
"Avery played great in the first half, you can see what he can do with ball pressure. It's amazing," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. "But in the second half, I thought he got tired, No. 1. And I thought his ankle stiffened up, that's why we had to put Nate [Robinson] in. We didn't want to take [Bradley] out, but he couldn't have survived. "I was happy. He's going to be a really good player."
And here's what Avery had to say for himself.
Celtics’ O’Neal missing something, so he calls on old mentor - The Boston Globe
“I got tired a little fast because I was playing so hard at the beginning,’’ Bradley said. “My teammates told me I’ve got to learn how to conserve energy. I’m just learning the game.’’
"Whenever I stop moving, [the ankle] tightens up on me,’’ said Bradley, "or whenever it does too much that it’s not used to, I tweak it sometimes. But it felt good to be out there.’’
If he looked a little rusty I think I'm willing to give him a pass on his first ever game as a pro (he didn't even get to play summer league) and coming off an injury. The staff will also be cautious with him, bringing him along slowly because of the ankle. Which is a shame because he could use the experience of preseason as much as anyone on the roster. Perhaps a few weeks or months in Maine will do him well.
What were your first impressions of the lad?