Jabari Bird reflects on thriving in NBA debut for Boston Celtics

http://celticswire.com/2017/10/21/jabari-bird-reflects-on-thriving-in-nba-debut-for-boston-celtics/




[size=55]Jabari Bird reflects on thriving in NBA debut for Boston Celtics[/size]






 



By: Jared Weiss | October 21, 2017 4:58 pm







It’s been a whirlwind week for Celtics rookie Jabari Bird. Just four days ago, he was gearing up for G-League training camp with the Maine Red Claws. A few days later and he is doing everything chasing down one of the toughest covers in the game to showering in boos at the free throw line from a bunch of Sixers fans who just wanted free Friday Frosties from Wendy’s. Not bad for someone who literally didn’t see it coming.


“I wasn’t prepared at all for tonight,” Bird told reporters in Philly Friday. “Wasn’t even supposed to be here, to be honest. But now I am.”


And now he’s with the Celtics at practice, fully ingrained with the team. He has until G-League training camp begins Monday, October 23 to stay with the Celtics without using his 45-day allowance in the NBA, a condition set by the standard two-way contract. But signs are pointing to him sticking around a little longer, with the Celtics down to 13 active players and two – the Marcuses – out injured.


“I take the same approach every day,” Bird said at practice Saturday. “Like I said last night, I try to stay ready for any moment. It’s nothing too different for me. It’s not like I went out last night and dropped 50. I just came in the game and tried to provide a spark on defense, that’s all.”


His spark was necessary and crucial. Bird played a 12-minute stint during the third and fourth quarter during which the Celtics’ defense finally found its comfort zone. He was able to keep up with the switching scheme, managing to figure out what to do when stuck in no man’s land. The real challenge came when Stevens assigned him to chase JJ Redick, one of the most difficult assignments in the game. He seemed impressively ready for the assignment despite admitting to not feeling prepared.


“We watched film before the game. We went over personnel,” Bird said. “It’s not like I was going out there not knowing what to do. Obviously, when you’re that good of a shooter, his reputation precedes himself. So, I knew going into the game, I had to stay in his numbers, make shots hard for him and made sure he felt me on defense.”


Redick turned out to be even more challenging a mark than expected because of all the subtleties to his game, many of which are unexpected from a player of his build and style.


“Yeah, just really trying to stay attached,” said Bird. “He’s physical. He’s stronger than he looks. He really knows how to create leverage, push off and create that first step to get anyplace he wants on the court. I was just trying to stay lower than him, make sure he didn’t get me off balance. My thing is not to take away shots but be there, hand up and be in the air space.”


He even had to deal with the intensity of the Philly crowd, notoriously hostile and loud. When Bird stepped to the free throw line in the late third quarter and missed the first, fans lost their minds with the chance to win a free Wendy’s Frosty if he missed the second. Bird left them bitterly disappointed after he drained the next two. Stevens thought the contest was for sandwiches, while Bird thought it was for tacos. Either way, he enjoyed being the spoiler.


“If I missed the free throws I guess they would have won like free tacos or something, if I missed two in a row. I kept missing the first one so I said I’ve got to make the second one. It was a hostile crowd last night and It was really fun for that to be my first game in the NBA, a big environment, a good learning experience.”


Bird was ready for experience because he follows the call to preparation Stevens preaches every day. When Stevens tells his players to stay ready, they know it means something with his track record. He has often called on guys at the end of the bench to lace up, even when injuries aren’t a concern. With the Celtics currently depleted, Bird knows he will get a chance to maximize his limited time in Boston.


“If you just stay ready, stay focused at any given moment, you can prepare for anything in a given time,” Bird said. “That’s what I try to do each and every day.”


His former Cal teammate and new Celtics teammate Jaylen Brown wasn’t surprised to see Bird thrive. After spending time with him at Cal and in summer league, Brown was well aware of what Bird would bring to the table if he was ever called upon.


“He’s more ready than anybody, in my opinion,” Brown said of Bird. “He can guard at a high level. The only thing that is keeping him from him not being on the floor is I think maybe politics, his draft status, where he was drafted at. He can play and he will outplay a lot of people.”


Brown sees Bird sticking around and growing in this roster. He already fills a need with Hayward down as a useful defender in their wing switching system that can shoot. While Boston already has depth in that position, Bird did get the call over Semi Ojeleye Friday due to matchup preference at the very least. Stevens is reinforcing to his rookie-heavy roster that every game could be their game.


“Every one of them should think there’s a good chance that I get an opportunity to impact the game on Tuesday night,” Stevens said. “There’s not a guy on this roster that shouldn’t think that right now and it may or may not be their night. But ultimately, we’re in the situation where we need everyone ready to be at their best and prepared and be at their best.


“We talked about it today, whether you played no minutes like Ojeleye last night or you played a ton of minutes like the others, we need you to prepare like you’re going to play a lot, every game,” Stevens said.
Brown is confident Bird will be that guy who will continue to expand his role. The Celtics next play Tuesday against the New York Knicks, but the Red Claws’ training camp starts Monday. It remains to be seen which jersey Bird will wear after the weekend. But if it’s green, it’s a strong sign for his future in the NBA.


“When you get to work closely with a guy, coming into a second year you already know what you are going to get. Jabari is going to work and try to get better,” Brown said. “He has that mindset that he wants to get better. He’s hungry and he wants to prove he belongs. He’s building his resume right now with the minutes he’s logging. Some opportunity opened up because of injuries and I think he’s going to take advantage of it.


“You guys are going to see.”



bob
MY NOTE:  I love how Jaylen is taking his former Cal teammate, Bird, under his wing (no pun intended) and has also done that with Jayson Tatum.  This Tuesday is Jaylen's 21st birthday, and he's already the godfather to two players.  Danny and Brad, drafting for temperment (and, if the last game by Fultz is any indication, for talent too).



Adam Himmelsbach @AdamHimmelsbach

yesterday

This week doesn’t count against Jabari Bird’s 45-day limit as a two-way guy with Cs. Clock would start Monday.
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Jaylen has the maturity of a player much older. He has that killer instinct, too.
Bird is an interesting player. If he can develop on offense, maybe the rotation can be more solidified.

KJ

This guy did not look completely out of place the other night. Yes, he is a rookie, but was not exposed as a not ready player in any way.

I could see him starting out in Maine and then signed to a regular contract if he gets a few more chances with the Cs especially if the team is not in a big hurry to fill out the two remaining roster spots.