Doc Rivers keeps defending Avery Bradley - Message Board Basketball Forum

insidehoops · 03-25-2012, 11:07 PM

ESPN Boston reports:

Even when Bradley's shooting woes were downright unsightly earlier this season, Rivers staunchly defended the second-year guard's ability to make jumper. In fact, back in late January, with Bradley really struggling from the perimeter, Rivers declared, "At some point, a ball will go in, he’ll slow down, and he’ll make the in-between jump shot. Because that’s what he can make and he can make that consistently."

Forgive reporters if they scoffed. Bradley to that point in his career was a mere 17-for-81 shooting from beyond 10 feet (21 percent) over his first 48 NBA games, according to shot location info tracked by HoopData. Since then? Bradley is 31-for-63 shooting from beyond 10 feet (49.2 percent), a ridiculous clip considering teammate Ray Allen, whose spot he took in the starting lineup on Sunday, is shooting 42.7 from that same range this season.

Bernie Nips · 03-29-2012, 01:26 AM

I knew he'd make it! I gosh darn knew it!

insidehoops · 04-08-2012, 02:16 PM

CSNNE reports:

Bradley isn't just starting, but he's starting ahead of a shoo-in Hall of Famer in Ray Allen who is still considered one of the NBA's top shooters.

Still, for Rivers, the impact that Bradley has made defensively with the first unit has been too important to not be in the starting lineup.

"Avery's going nowhere defensively," Rivers said. "He's going to be right there. Teams are going to start setting far more backcourt picks on him."

And those picks have already taken a toll on his body.

Bradley has been dealing with a left shoulder injury that's still bothersome, but not enough to where he anticipates missing any games. And the bevy of screens and picks that he has to fight through every game only makes it tougher to fully recover.

JohnnySic · 04-08-2012, 08:43 PM

Bradley should keep starting.

insidehoops · 04-11-2012, 01:31 AM

The emergence of guard Avery Bradley allows Boston to holster one of its very veteran Big Three (or Big Four if you want to count point guard Rajon Rondo). Allen now comes off the bench, as he did Tuesday for a pair of jumpers out of a Celtics timeout that gave Boston its first lead at 22-20.

Boston is 13-5 in games Bradley has started and 9-1 in games Bradley has started instead of Allen.

“We were talking about doing that in the middle of last year, but nobody stepped forward,” Boston coach Doc Rivers said.

-- Miami Herald