Avery Bradley Learning The Point From... (Wait For It)

by Jeff Clark on Jul 31, 2011 4:22 PM EDT in Boston Celtics News & Links

Couldn't help but laugh at this.

Traveling wouldn't be a bad call - The Boston Globe

Bradley doesn’t turn 21 until November, and Celtics coach Doc Rivers is already convinced Bradley is an NBA-caliber defender. But he spent most of his pre-NBA days as a shooting guard, so the transition to point has been arduous. The Celtics could use a capable backup to Rajon Rondo, and plenty of reps for Bradley in the Orlando Summer League would have proven valuable.

But a summer in Seattle also could help Bradley hone his skills. He has been working out with players such as Jamal Crawford, Nate Robinson, and Aaron Brooks.

Yes, that makes me feel so much better. Why don't we have Tony Allen work on ball handling with him and have Marcus Banks work on work ethic and give him life lessons from Stephon Marbury. I'm sure this will go swimmingly.

In all seriousness, I don't think Bradley is going to be much of a "pure" point guard anyway. And he's got the defensive chops already, so why not have some gunner point guards show him how to turn off his conscience and fire away? It would actually be a step up from looking timid and handing the ball off to Paul Pierce at halfcourt.

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I like this kid, looking forward to seeing more from him.
However, Seattle produces a lot of draft picks and has a lot of skill with less glam attached to it. A lot of players get well-prepared by hanging out there. Anything that helps Bradley prepare for whenever the frick this lockout ends and he can suit up as a Celtic again and help erase the humiliation of the past playoffs is a good thing.

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by YeahTommyB4ZGermansGetThere on Jul 31, 2011 4:39 PM EDT reply actions

Will the Bradleys of the league be counted?

Will the players’ reps weigh the votes of the players or count them Weigh them and the stars will sit out, living off the interest on their bank deposits. Count them and guys like this just may want to get back to work and vote that way. It sounds like a hard cap is the main sticking point. The players say “Just don’t pay it, Man. It’s a free market – free to pay big bucks and free not to”. But a hallmark of a free market is irrationality. My business is in a commodity. I can’t stop the market price from falling (and none of my customers ask why then). And I can’t stop it from rising (that’s when they want me to do something). We – buyers and sellers – all want the same thing. Stable, predictable prices. But then its not a free market. I tend to think finances aren’t as bad as the owners moan, but I also feel the “market prices” in the NBA are too high. If you set a hard cap even higher than it is now then the NBA owners who are losing money will lose more. But, guess what, they’d all take it. I’m with the owners on this one and the NBA’s Bradleys will be too before too long.

by Wildblu1 on Jul 31, 2011 5:48 PM EDT reply actions

his shot

if there wasn;t that 0 on his jersey, i’d think that was ray ray at first glance

by SDK on Jul 31, 2011 6:57 PM EDT reply actions

I think Ray has rubbed off on him somewhat.

Avery has always been lauded by scouts for his nice catch-and-shoot form – and it’s indeed been good.

But I just now went and reviewed both his high school & texas highlight videos and then the one from this spring’s Knick’s game (where Avery scored 20). You can see a distinct difference in his shot from before and now.

His shot indeed looks more ‘Ray-like’. He does a much better job of keeping his spine vertical as he elevates and his elbow is mimicing that robotic point-and-release action that Ray always shows.

I kinda wish we would not try to change him to a PG. I think he could be a very good SG in this league. He has the defensive chops (and wingspan) to defend the bigger SGs and he has the speed, elevation and shot to go against any of them on offense.

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by mmmmm on Aug 1, 2011 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions

He should be working with Gary Payton and learn how to play with his back to the basket and back people down

and develop post up moves against other guards…it’s a lost art like a hook shot

Gary Payton made his living playing D and posting up other guards and inverting the Defense of the other team…..so hire GP to teach him

Nate Robinson couldn’t teach him anything but how to be short and a punk

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by Master Po on Jul 31, 2011 7:39 PM EDT reply actions

+1

I love bigs with back to the basket post moves…but I also love guards and forwards who have back to the basket scoring skills also and if Avery could add that to his offensive arsenal it would be great.

by fordescort on Aug 1, 2011 1:14 PM EDT up reply actions

+1

I liked everything you said up until the Nate comment. Just mean, lol

by vgarcia890 on Aug 1, 2011 3:10 PM EDT up reply actions

He should hang with Monta Ellis.

He needs playing time and lots of it. The kid has shown no flashes of being a point guard but has shown flashes of being a scorer. He really needs to play for a coach like Don Nelson, someone who would bench him if he passed up a shot. That would build his confidence.

by Little D on Jul 31, 2011 8:02 PM EDT reply actions

I hope this is sarcasm

Monta Ellis as a role model and Don Nelson as a coach, there aren’t many things worse if a player wants to actually be good. If you want the player to only care about getting his numbers then yeah I guess it’s ok.

by kg2128 on Jul 31, 2011 10:19 PM EDT up reply actions

A little sarcasm and a little truth

Who said anything about a roll model? My point being Monta ellis is a successful undersize nba scoring guard and I would love for Avery to be just like him (I doubt he will, but would love it). To me Avery has shown more signs of being like Ellis than he a has of being like Rondo or how Doc was as a point guard. I also like a return on a 1st round draft pick, the sooner the better and if thats letting the kid do what he does best (offensively anyways or as you stated “getting his numbers”) then so be it. If I have to pad his stats to inflate his value so the celtics can use him as a chip to acquire the next hall of fame player, I’m all for it. Also, if you believe the rumors that Danny couldn’t trade him for a late 1st round draft pick this year then I would be a little concerned. His injured ankle, missing summer league last year, limited playing time and no summer league this year = decreased value in investment. And all that information was known prior to drafting him, yes the injury, the surgery, missing camp and the expected lockout.

Yes, I was being sarcastic with the Don Nelson analogy but let me ask you this. If Avery had played for Nelson in his first season, would he have developed more as an offensive player? Would he have more value now as a trading chip? Granted, he would have had more of an opportunity but I don’t think he could have developed less. And like Jeff kinda said above, I don’t want to see him bring the ball up to hand it to PP.

I think Avery will have a good career, I just don’t see it as a point guard, I see him as a defensive player(like everyone else) and a capable scorer that will keep nba defenses honest.

Please keep this in mind, IMHO this how to get the best return on Avery, not what is in the best interest of winning regular season games for the team.

by Little D on Aug 1, 2011 9:35 AM EDT up reply actions

The Celtics are (or at least were) encouraging Bradley to go to Europe...

I don’t see how that could hurt.

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by Roy_Hobbs on Jul 31, 2011 8:21 PM EDT reply actions

3 scoring PGs?

Aaron Brooks isn’t bad of a PG, but Crawford and Nate will teach him nothing but how to jack a shot off. …

Too bad Sam Cassell doesn’t join our coaching staff. He too was a great back to the basket PG. Chauncy Billups is still best in the league at his position doing it. Any chance we get him with the MLE if he opts out?

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by jdub1660 on Jul 31, 2011 9:38 PM EDT reply actions

he’s learning from those guys because he wants to be able to create his own shot. He’s already got a solid mid range jumper

by markgent on Jul 31, 2011 11:05 PM EDT reply actions

Why stop there?

Lets’s fly in:

Andrea Bargini to demonstrate proper post presence.
Steve Nash to show proper defensive fundamentalist
Lebron for to give tips on crunch time scoring.
Also invite Eddy Curry to share his Vegan recipes and cardio routine.

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by Piru P on Aug 1, 2011 12:11 AM EDT reply actions

the third point was really horrible, seriously, it should be edited or deleted, really?, wow...

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by 2012Celtic on Aug 1, 2011 10:13 AM EDT up reply actions

I stopped at line number 2

I love Steve Nash, but not for his defensive fundamentals …

NBA Officiating - Corrupt? Incompetent? Which is worse? Does it matter? It sucks.

by mmmmm on Aug 1, 2011 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions

I think that was the point.

by clover on Aug 1, 2011 7:03 PM EDT up reply actions

I just hope

Doc plays Avery this year so we can see what the kid has.

If the C’s stick with the core and resign Delonte a back court of Rondo, Ray, Delonte and Avery would not be to shabby.

Playing Avery would also help the C’s develop a younger player for use in the future or develop a marketable trade chip that the C’s could use to down the line to help them trade for another player need as they seek to rebuild.

by fordescort on Aug 1, 2011 1:11 PM EDT reply actions

I don't mind this too much

Nate Robinson and Jamal Crawford are not pure point guards by any stretch of the imagination, and are definitely known league-wide as fundamentally flawed in their in-game approach. However, we should not be deluded by the fact that Avery Bradley isn’t a true PG just like the guys who are training him aren’t. Avery always struck me in his PT as a shoot first guy that actually has a knack for scoring and should work on becoming better at it without becoming selfish/ a detriment (like Nate was here).

To me, Avery has a perimeter game, but with his athleticism he should also work on his penetration game. That is what’ll set him apart. We all know about his defensive ability and shooting. A good driving game will make him a great fit in a backcourt with Rondo for years to come.

Sup

by TradeProposalDude on Aug 1, 2011 1:47 PM EDT reply actions