Month: October 2014

Avery Bradley aims for all-defense first team

The Boston Celtics are in a transitional period. They’re rebuilding, and their best player, guard Rajon Rondo, is injured yet again, and may wind up being traded later this season. On the brighter side, they have some nice young talent. And they have Avery Bradley, who is proud to play super-aggressive defense, and aims to be an even better defender this season. Here’s ESPN Boston reporting:

Avery Bradley hopes to make all-defense first team

Coming off the best offensive season of his career, one that helped him secure a lucrative long-term extension, Boston Celtics shooting guard Avery Bradley said his primary goal for the 2014-15 season is reestablishing his reputation as a defense-first player.

“I want to be on the first team all-defense,” Bradley said Thursday when asked about his individual goals for new season. “I made the second team two years ago. That’s my No. 1 goal this year, but obviously I want to improve in every part of my game.”

Bradley averaged a career-best 14.9 points per game last season and shot nearly 40 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. At times, he was maybe Boston’s most aggressive shooter as reflected in a career-high 13.8 shots per game (up four attempts per game from the previous season). Maybe due in part to a new system and a rebuilding team, Bradley’s advanced defensive numbers — among the glitziest in the league two years ago — eroded a bit and he wasn’t the sort of shutdown presence that he’s shown he can be.

Phoenix Suns offensive plan: More running

Here’s Arizona Sports reporting on the Phoenix Suns offensive plans, which involve running, and more running.

Phoenix Suns offensive plan: More running

Push the pace.

It is the one phrase that has been spoken the most thus far here at Phoenix Suns training camp.

“We want to play even faster than we did last year,” forward P.J. Tucker said.

Last year, the Suns ranked eighth in the NBA in pace of play, a statistic used to measure the number of possessions per 48 minutes.

“We want to pick that up. We want to be one, two or three,” head coach Jeff Hornacek said. “Really try to get the ball out of bounds and go with it. Put pressure on the other teams. We have a deep team so we feel we can do that. And that’s us pushing these guys to get in that type of shape you need to be to do that.”

Mike Miller raves about Cavs coach David Blatt

Here’s the Akron Beacon Journal reporting on the Cleveland Cavaliers as they adapt to a new head coach and some very high-profile new players:

Mike Miller raves about Cavs coach David Blatt

David Blatt spent his first few weeks on the job downplaying his offensive ingenuity and reminding people he likes to coach defense, too. Yet after the first week of practice, it’s clear on which side Blatt has made an impression on this veteran team.

“His offensive stuff is borderline genius,” Mike Miller said this week. “Once we get a hold of it, it’s going to be a big weapon.”

Indeed, Blatt conceded the first handful of practices with the Cavaliers have been an offensive cram session in moving and spacing. Based on Wednesday’s Wine & Gold scrimmage, the Cavs are fast learners.

They moved well, spaced the floor properly and found a surprising rhythm given how little time they’ve spent together. Of course, they were only playing each other. The real tests will come once the exhibition games begin (the opener is Sunday against Blatt’s former team) and then when the regular season commences on Oct. 30.

Gary Neal playing well in Hornets training camp

Here’s the Charlotte Observer reporting on the Hornets. And yeah, that’s “Hornets.” The Bobcats are gone. They are the Hornets now. You knew that already, but preseason is approaching so it’s worth repeating.

Gary Neal playing well in Hornets training camp

Charlotte Hornets coach Steve Clifford made a bold statement Monday about shooting guard Gary Neal’s value.

“Our offense, once he got here, was totally different,” Clifford said.

Bold but not inaccurate. In the 25 regular-season games that followed Neal being traded to Charlotte, the then-Bobcats averaged 104.3 points per game, compared to 95.3 before his arrival. The Bobcats’ shooting percentage improved from 43.7 percent pre-Neal to 45.3 percent with him.

That’s not to say the offensive improvement was exclusively Neal’s doing. For instance, rookie power forward Cody Zeller shot far better from the field in April than in February.

Kidd says to expect Bucks lineup shuffling in preseason

Here’s the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporting on the Bucks:

jason kidd

Bucks coach Jason Kidd said to expect multiple lineups during the preseason as he tries to find the right combinations with his young team.

The team completed a morning non-contact practice session on Day 2 under Kidd, with a contact session scheduled later Wednesday. The team will be off on Thursday.

“Don’t judge me on preseason because we’re going to play a lot of different combinations and there will be a lot of people starting and playing the role of coming off the bench,” Kidd said. “We’ll figure it out.”

Kidd said he already has been impressed with the way big men John Henson and Larry Sanders have played together in the opening practices.

Chris Andersen hopes to improve jumpshot

Miami Heat big-man Chris Andersen is towards the end of his NBA career, and is attempting to make the necessary adjustments. Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel reporting:

Chris Andersen hopes to improve jumpshot

He still plans to play with high energy in his 13th season, but will do it at a smarter pace.

“I was told a long time ago, even though I’m called Birdman, you can’t jump forever,” Andersen said Wednesday. “Like [Shaquille O’Neal] says, you have a certain amount of jumps in your career.”

Step one in the transformation process is becoming a well-rounded player, especially on offense. Andersen, 36, explained why he’s been shooting jumpers after practices during training camp, mostly from the elbow and baseline.

Translation: he wants more scoring opportunities with less wear on the body.

“I’ve been blessed to be able to jump at 36 so I want to be able to use that a couple more times but I want to be able to shoot it, too,” Andersen said. “That’ll prolong my career three years, maybe.”