Bass emerging as major player for Celtics

Bass emerging as a major player for Celtics


A. Sherrod Blakely

December 7, 2013, 4:45 pm



WALTHAM, Mass. — When Brad Stevens took the head coaching job with the Boston Celtics and began poring over video from last season, one of the first tapes he saw was Boston's first round playoff series against the New York Knicks.

Among the things that jumped out at him?

Brandon Bass' defense.

Specifically his defense on Carmelo Anthony which was surprisingly solid considering 1) Anthony is one of the league's elite scorers and 2) Bass has been for years considered a less-than-stellar defender.

That series gave Stevens insight into how to best utilize Bass this season.

And the result has been Bass emerging as a major cog in how this team functions, providing the kind of presence at both ends of the floor that has been critical to Boston (9-12) remaining among the league's top scoring defenses as well as helping them keep pace with other playoff hopefuls in the East.

For Stevens, the success Bass' overall game has experienced this season begins at the defensive end of the floor.

"It goes back to what you see first and it was his defense," Stevens said. "That's what stood out to me first; his versatility and how good he was defensively."

Although Bass has often been criticized for being a poor defender, there aren't many players whose defense will shine when paired in the frontcourt with players like Kevin Garnett and Dwight Howard - both Defensive Player of the Year award winners who were also teammates of Bass.

"I think that previously I showed I could do a variety of different things," Bass told CSNNE.com on Saturday after practice. "But you get on teams where they have 'that' and they need 'this' from you. I seem to get into a role and that's what you see from me. I'm a guy who works on his game. I just think any position I'm put in, I will find a way to be successful."

Gerald Wallace, a better-than-average defender throughout his NBA career, finds a kindred spirit with Bass when it comes to defense.

"He's very aggressive, offensively and defensively," Wallace said. "He plays hard, he plays every possession. He does everything he can to try and help the team win."

And with that desire, at least this season, comes an opportunity to take his game to another level.

As much as Bass has learned from playing with Garnett and Paul Pierce (both in Brooklyn now), he knew as long as they were around he would never have a serious shot of showcasing all of his talents.

And when he looks at his fellow Celtics teammates, he sees them all being in that same predicament.

"This is the year for everybody to make a name for themselves versus just being a role player," Bass said. "The sky's the limit. Every night, somebody different is the Paul (Pierce) or the KG or the (Rajon) Rondo since he's injured right now. It's a great opportunity for everybody."

And few players are cashing in on it the way Bass has.

While there are others with better stats, teammates are starting to warm to the idea that Bass and what he brings to the floor statistically as well as when it comes to intangibles, may very well be the most important contribution to this team's success.

Second-year forward Jared Sullinger was recently asked about the team's steadily improving defense this season.

He mentioned three keys, and Bass' play was one of them.

"Brandon really as far as the bigs standpoint, really took on that (leadership) role of talking to us and teaching us defensive principles," Sullinger said.

Bass said his approach to helping teammates is no different than what he knows has worked for him.

"You definitely have to simplify," Bass said. "With things being so new and the new coach, you could mess yourself up mentally if you try to do too much or think too much. I try to simplify things, do the smart and intangible-type things and let everything else come."

That approach has helped fuel a Celtics team that's coming on strong with wins in five of their last seven games.

And as you break down the factors that have led to Boston's turnaround, ignoring Bass' contributions is impossible to do.

The time he put into improving in the offseason as well as in-season, has a lot to do with his play now.

But he also credits Stevens for having the faith and confidence in him that he could not just play, but help lead the Celtics during this transition period that finds them atop the Atlantic Division despite being three games below-.500.

"It's great that you have a coach that when he sees something that looks good and you're doing something that's positive, he wants to feed that," Bass said. "I like that about him."

Before the season began, the Celtics appeared to be a team that would launch a lot of 3s and not try to score while attacking the paint that much.

But as Boston began to feed the bigs in the post, they began to have some success and so now the Celtics have made establishing an interior game a priority.

"He does that with Sully," said Bass, referring to teammate Jared Sullinger. "He gets his post-game going. And now coach demands that we play inside-out. I just think that's big for us."

The same can be said for Bass' play which, like the Celtics win total, is on the rise.

And while Bass knows he has played a major part in the team's success, he refuses to allow such talk to go to his head.

He appreciates the attention, but he's mindful that his success can not come about without his teammates, and vice versa.

Said Bass: "Just like coach said, we have to have humility and be the hungrier team each and every night and give ourselves a chance."

Which means Stevens may call upon his 6-foot-8 big man to play a variety of roles which includes being more of a low-post scoring option - something that has not been asked of or required from Bass in the past.

Whatever the assignment, Stevens won't hesitate to put Bass in that particular role.

"He's a great person, an easy person to coach," Stevens said. "I don't worry how he (Bass) takes things. He has shown me nothing but that he's not only willing, but eager and excited to do it."

----


Bass looks substantially better than he did last year. he's a very hard worker that has been working on his game meticulously and it's paying off.




KJ

Hes really expanded his game, Humphries is also coming on and has earned minutes, we really don't need KO right now. Vitor also slowly is getting better at the banging and doing the little things more right than wrong....things will get really interesting when Rondo gets back.

If Hump keeps playing like this, could we resign him with an adapted home team discount?

"I just think any position I'm put in, I will find a way to be successful." That is a perfect Celtics statement. Bass obviously "gets it." Whereas the popular view last season was that he had reached his ceiling, that's obviously erroneous. He has improved on his work in the post. He has improved on his ball-handling. He has improved on his defense. He has improved in the leadership department. As I'm fond of saying, then is not now. Players can change. They just need the ability, the proper motivation and the proper opportunity. Brandon Bass obviously has all three.

Sam

Doc held him back IMHO

I honestly thought Bass had already topped out but I was wrong.

Seems like Brad knows how to motivate his guys to exceed their prior limits (kind of like Crawford, Bradley, and Sullinger).




KJ

I think the biggest improvement this year is our coach, a man willing to take short-term risks for long-term gain. Last year's team had similar potential, but Doc would not confront egos and take the chance. The Nets trade also helped us immensely, not just with the influx of younger talent, but in freeing up BS to make wholesale lineup changes. Otherwise, he would have had to bench two aging stars, causing dissent, poisoning the start of a new era. Hawk

Hawk, great observation. While most of us have focused on the implications of the trade for the drafts picks and the future, it's very possible that Danny's biggest contribution via the trade is freeing the Celtics (and especially Brad) from potential awkward situations that could have hampered the team's rebirth.

Sam

hawksnestbeach wrote:I think the biggest improvement this year is our coach, a man willing to take short-term risks for long-term gain. Last year's team had similar potential, but Doc would not confront egos and take the chance. The Nets trade also helped us immensely, not just with the influx of younger talent, but in freeing up BS to make wholesale lineup changes. Otherwise, he would have had to bench two aging stars, causing dissent, poisoning the start of a new era.  Hawk

agreed Doc had his moments, but I love how adaptable Stevens already is.

So yesterday I learned that Rasheed Wallace has the record for Techs in a season (41)

Currently Dwight Howard, Blake Griffin, and DeMarcus Cousins are leading with 5. First Celtic to show up on the list is Crawford with 2. We also have a few with 1 each.

How much of this is on Stevens?
Does he have a tech on him yet this year?

beat

Thanks, Sam. In the same vein, another way to look at Rondo's injury is that as long as he comes back 100 percent, we may be thankful he was out long enough for BS to develop a backup PG. As a new coach with an elite PG, no starting 5 and not enough minutes for his 4s, he probably never would have had the opportunity to work out this problem unless it were forced on him. Hawk