Bradley weighs in on C's success formula

http://www.fosters.com/article/20151026/SPORTS/151029466




         
Bradley weighs in on C's success formula





Brooklyn forward Justin Harper, left, tries to block a shot by Boston guard Avery Bradley during NBA preseason action last week. AP photo


By Scott Souza

Providence Journal

Posted Oct. 26, 2015 at 8:45 PM



WALTHAM, Mass. – Avery Bradley is one of only two players left on the Celtics roster who can invoke the lessons of the Big Three era.

As he looked forward to Wednesday’s season-opener against the Philadelphia 76ers following Monday’s practice, the longest-tenured member of the team talked a little Celtics history when he described what the squad needs to do to improve defensively this season.

“The main thing is just effort and talking on the defensive end,” he said. “That comes from the older guys. You always have to remind that to the younger guys.

“It used to be KG [Kevin Garnett] talking, talking, talking. I try to do that every single defensive play. Even if I am not involved, I try to talk anyway.”

As the Celtics get ready for their first season-opener coming off a playoff appearance since the trade of Garnett and Paul Pierce, Bradley – who joins Jared Sullinger as the lone Celtics still around from that 2012-13 squad - is doing little to dampen expectations heading into his sixth NBA season. He said on Media Day that he believes the Celtics can compete for a spot in the NBA Finals. On Monday Bradley said Marcus Smart is working toward becoming one of the best guards in the NBA, before adding his goal in taking 300 practice shots a day is to be one of the best shooters in the league.

“I feel that, if you’re not improving every single day, what are you playing this game for?” he said. “You play because you love it and you should want to get better for yourself and your team.

“When your team becomes like a machine, then you are hard to guard. I feel like we are getting there. We’re still a ways from it. But once we get there it will be hard for teams to guard us if we’re going through every play hard.”

Bradley figures to be in the starting backcourt with Smart to begin the year, along with Jae Crowder and David Lee at the forward spots and Tyler Zeller at center. While Celtics coach Brad Stevens said the opening-night lineup is not set in stone, he indicated Monday he will likely stick with the one used most in preseason.

“It’s a lot less important to me than who is playing together,” the coach added in response to lineup questions. “I know it’s something you have to talk about with individuals, and it’s something that you have to talk about when we all get together [in a media session]. Guys who are going to play are going to play a big role whether they are starting or not.”

Stevens said he will speak to everyone on the team about their role and position in the rotation before opening night, but added that he expects those roles to evolve over the course of the season.

He has added that he does not anticipate players being on the floor more than 30 minutes a game as he tries to make the most of the team’s depth.

“We have kind of figured our groups out now,” said Amir Johnson, who looks to be a mainstay on the second unit that includes Isaiah Thomas, Evan Turner, Kelly Olynyk (after he serves his one-game suspension for the Kevin Love incident in last year’s playoffs), and either Jonas Jerebko or Sullinger. “Guys are getting used to their positions. Coach will still switch it up every now and then. But I think guys know what to expect.
“Any guy coming off the bench just has to be ready. Especially with Coach Brad, because he can put you in at any time. You have to have that mindset to be ready.”

The goal of Monday’s workout – following a 6-1 preseason and a final weekend off from practice – was to cut down on the turnovers that plagued the Celtics as they tried to go up-tempo in exhibition games, and solidify the team defense.

Bradley said the former will happen as Smart gets more in tune with when to push the pace and when to slow it down, while he can help the latter happen through remembering what Garnett instilled in him back when the 25-year-old was one of the younger members of the locker room.

“At the end of the day, defense is just effort,” he said. “We have a very talented team. We have to play team defense. We have a lot of good individual one-on-one defenders, but that means nothing if you don’t play team basketball.”



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