Atlantic Dreams
ESPN Insider’s Kevin Pelton, writing the Per-Diem blog, currently has New York’s chances of holding onto the Atlantic Division at 74%, with Brooklyn at 20% and the Celtics down to 6%. Last night’s loss at New Orleans doesn’t help any. These Celtics are impossible to predict. Without Garnett, they play a nearly flawless game for three quarters against Miami and nearly end “The Streak.” And then they go and lose to New Orleans (for a second straight time) two nights later.
Bradley Love Hides Bradley Weaknesses
It’s strange how the narratives that fans create for players changes our perceptions. I am the first to admit that Avery Bradley's game is easy to love. Watching a 6’2″ guard with limited offensive skills dominate a game is impossible not to appreciate for most genuine fans of the game. I spent a good portion of the season’s first 30 games lamenting the fact that Bradley was out, and the impact it was having on our defense. Still, Bradley’s game is limited by the fact that opponents can game-plan for 4.5 offensive players when he is on the court. Especially in the half-court, Bradley’s shooting range becomes a liability. Sound familiar? Rondo has worked hard to minimize that weakness in his own game. Bradley is working equally hard and is showing improvement. Still, his 39.4% from the field in 10 March games is a problem. Avery seems to press when playing at home, shooting only 35.9% (8.0 ppg) on the year at the Garden. In contrast, he’s knocking down a healthy 45.6% of his shots on the road (11.1 ppg).
To read the rest of the post, click here: http://darkoindex.com/2013/03/21/pace-pushing-in-a-post-rondo-world/
Thanks for reading and Go C's,
Jonah