The Avery Bradley Yellow Ribbon Thread

[bobheckler]

We miss you, Avery.

Now that it's December and he's projected to come back sometime in December (although let's all remember that the Celtics have no obligation to inform anybody the truth about the availability and effectiveness of any of their players) I thought I'd start thread just to keep tabs on this upcoming development. A developing interest in this development, so to speak.

I encourage any and all Bradley updates/comments to be posted here. That way the post-game threads stick to post-game comments, bitches about this and that can be posted to the "bitches about this and that" threads, etc. Once he's activated to play then he'll merge with the rest of the team's posts.


Here's your first sugar lump, all you Avery Bradley addicts out there...


http://www.celticsblog.com/2012/12/1/3716352/avery-bradley-very-close-to-return


Avery Bradley was shooting on the court before Friday’s game but his
return to practice is uncertain. An NBA source said Bradley is "very
close" to being ready for competition.


This is citing a column in boston.com.

"Very close" is kind of amorphous, but it's still an upgrade over "close" and a huge step above Doc saying "I don't keep track of this stuff. When the trainer and doctors come and tell me something, that's when I know."

At least Bradley can work on his cardio. Not the same as game-play, but it's still something.


bob


.

[worcester]

Very close as in Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky or very close as in a golf putt rimming out?

[bobheckler]

Very close as in Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky or very close as in a golf putt rimming out?

worcester,

Considering he's only walking skeletons now, and is not running practices (certainly nothing involving contact), I'd say it's closer to a chip shot using a 4-iron from the apron onto the green. Close enough to where you can see the hole, close enough to where you only need a quarter-swing to get the ball up, but not close enough to where you should feel like it's eminently makeable.

No comment on Bill and Monica and proximities to holes...


bob.

[beat]

Very close as in Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky or very close as in a golf putt rimming out?

personally I would delete your word AND and move the word IN there.
Also the use of the word rimming is interesting. Cigar anyone??

beat

[worcester]

Bob, I appreciate your discretion when it comes to B&M/

Beat, There's an old Latin axiom "Mens sana, corpus sanctum" or something like that meaning - "Clean mind, clean body."

In high school we reframed it as "clean mind, clean body - take your pick."

I see we went to similar high schools.

[Sam]

W,

What's wrong with B&M? They make great baked beans. I eat them all the time. In the sixth grade, I gave a report on B&M Beans. The teacher cleared the room.

Sam

[worcester]

I love B&M baked beans too. When you say you gave a report on B&M, aas that a report on or a report with B&M baked beans? I've given quite a few of the latter.

[tardust]

Don't have those beans around here. Somehow this stinks to high heaven.

[bobheckler]

The scuttlebutt before the Minny game on 12/5, is that Bradley is a "week or two" away from practicing.

That would put him on track for the mid-December return, although I wouldn't expect to see him in a game until closer to Christmas. There's a difference between being in shape and being in "game shape".

Still, we're getting close. At this point his shoulders must be sufficiently healed where it's about strengthening and not about whether there has been a setback.


bob



.

[dboss]

In anticipation of Avery Bradley’s return I was thinking back to last year in the month of February where the Celts dropped 7 of 8 games including 6 losses in a row.

When Ray went down to injury and AB got to start, the Celtics defense was immediately better. So good in fact that teams began to game plan for Bradley’s relentless on the ball defense.

If your call, the opposing guard could barely get the ball across half court so teams started to use a big to set screens against Avery so that the opposing guard could make it across half court.

I do not believe in Trickle Down economics but I do see the trickle down effect of having Bradley attack the ball and stay in front of his man.

Firstly it reduces the amount of time that the opposition has to run a play. Since teams play best when they have a consistent timing in their offense, reducing their time with the ball has a profound effect on them scoring.

With Bradley stay in front of your man determination, the frequency of rotations needed to defend the pick and rolls and pick and pops is reduced and has the added benefit of keeping our guys in better rebounding positioning.

Courtney Lee is a pretty good defender but Bradley is in a class by himself. He may be the best on the ball defender in the NBA and he has shown the ability to play like that throughout an entire game.

As the Celtics continue to blend things into cohesion, the return of Avery Bradley will have a profound effect on the team’s chances of being a great team.

The Celtics will be the only team is the NBA with a guard that runs the offense and a Guard that plays defense better than any other pair in the NBA.

I can’t wait for Avery to get back on the court.

dboss

[bobheckler]

Danny Ainge said, on Thursday, that they hope to have Bradley back "after the West Coast trip".

The West Coast trip ends with a game in Boston against Memphis on January 2nd. So, that would be the absolute earliest we would see him on the floor.

Still, when you think about it, that's only 3 1/2 weeks away.

dboss is right. Bradley is not only a great halfcourt defender like Lee, he's a MUCH better fullcourt defender. He blows the opposition's offense up by cutting the amount of time they have to run a play in half. If rhythm and chemistry make for efficient offenses, then disruption of rhythm and chemistry is a recipe for destroying an offense.

Let's be realistic, it'll be 4 weeks as he's eased back in.

bob

.

[cowens/oldschool]

Hes got a long career ahead of him, knock on wood, I totally prefer patience and not rushing his return too fast. Earlier in his career Nick Collison had shoulder surgery, missed a whole year and has been healthy ever since, so the fact AB is not missing a season means hes a fast healer and the trainers/surgeons/doctors are all working together in the best therapy available. Larry Bird being the maniac that he was, rushed back too fast from his own surgery, just cause you feel so much better than pre surgery doesn't mean your totally healed.

[bobheckler]

According to A. Sherrod Blakeley, 12/5/12:

BOSTON — The Boston Celtics are expecting Avery
Bradley back on the practice court within 10 days -- or sooner -- with a
return to action likely after the start of the New Year.

"Avery is coming along really well," C's president of basketball operations
Danny Ainge told CSNNE.com. "He has had no setbacks."


Bradley's return to action was believed to be in the middle of this
month, but Ainge said, "we've adjusted the timeline by a week or so just
to make sure his shoulders are completely strong enough and balanced.

When he does return, Ainge said there's a chance that he might see some
action with the Celtics' D-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws.

"We thought about it, but made no decisiosn yet," Ainge said. "We'll see
how his progression is. But [a D-League stint is] a consideration for
sure. As of right now, we're planning for him to come back to practice
in the next week to 10 days."




bob
MY NOTE: That would make it about 12/12-12/15. I expect to see Bradley play some in Maine, to get his timing back. Perhaps that's why they brought Melo up, to make room for Bradley in Maine? I'm writing this on 12/10, so we're only a few days away, if these reports are accurate but, as we've seen before, that's a big "if".



.

[bobheckler]

This from Gary Washburn of the Globe, also on 12/5 (must have been Avery Bradley Media Day or something):




Bradley has been working out before practices and rehabilitating his
surgically repaired shoulders, and said before Wednesday’s 104-94 win
over the Timberwolves at TD Garden he is close to practicing with the
team. Bradley has not played or participated in full-contact workouts
since Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the 76ers.


Bradley underwent surgery on both shoulders to repair a condition
that caused them to pop out of their sockets. The Celtics have been
cautious with his recovery.



“I feel a lot better,” Bradley said. “I’m just so excited that I’m
getting more closer medically. I can’t wait to see my teammates. Every
single day I come in, I tell the trainers to have them test me out to
see how strong I am.”



Bradley’s rehabilitation consists of swimming, weightlighting, and hours of shooting.



“Doc kind of stays out of [when I would return],” Bradley said. “It’s
really up to the trainers and the strength and conditioning coaches and
me, to see how I feel. It’s hard for him to determine because I’m such a
tough guy and I want to get out there. They put me through a lot of
tests because I lie to them sometimes because I want to be back. They’re
just protecting me and I want to protect myself because when I come
back I want to have no setbacks.



“I feel a lot better. I’m doing pushups now. I try to do them every
single day. I feel a lot stronger; it’s like night and day how I feel
from two weeks ago.”




bob




.

[bobheckler]

http://www.celticsblog.com/2012/12/11/3755198/avery-bradleys-rehab-football-boxing-hanging-on-rims


I picture a tear away calendar at Waltham counting down the days before Avery Bradley
returns. You can see him on the court working out before tip off and
sitting on the bench during the games. Camerato reports that he's two
weeks away from being re-evaluated--two weeks from today is Christmas
Day (!)--but less than a week ago, Danny pegged his return
at least to practice was ten days out and a possible return to actual
games during the team's west coast road trip at the end of the year.
Regardless, he's close. Here's some of Camerato's insight some of AB's
alternative methods to recovery:

"It was something we do to help my arm strength," Bradley explained
to CSNNE.com. "We try to make it fun at the same time. At first I wasn't
sure about it. I was like, ‘B.Doo (Celtics strength and conditioning coach Bryan Doo), this doesn't make sense.'
Once I started doing it, him throwing the ball hard and me extending, I
have to do the same thing with a basketball and I have to see if I'm
able to do it or not. It definitely helps. This is our second time doing
it. Since it helps me out, we will probably continue doing it."

The Celtics have been creative with Bradley's routines, mixing in
unconventional workouts and drills to keep him engaged. The 22-year-old
guard has taken to the new methods during his recovery.

"We even do boxing," Bradley said. "They put on the gloves and I wear
the pads and they punch them so I can receive them like someone's
pushing my arm. At first I was boxing and then I stopped and just did
the receiving because it was more important. We've been doing that for
two weeks. It makes me stronger and it helps me see where I'm at at the
same time. Let's say if somebody's pushing my arm, I try to get myself
back to being used to those forces and resistance."

There's also some discussion about hanging on rims to see if his
shoulders can carry his weight and he's passed that test, too. Good,
because I can't wait until this happens again:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vdPW7hFiucE




Avery Bradley Dunk On Kevin Durant - Celtics @ Thunder

bob




.

[cowens/oldschool]

If he has no setbacks and hes doing boxing drills, punching and receiving, thats a great thing. If your shoulders are not right, it will definitely come up doing boxing/striking drills.....actually if hes hitting heavy bag, hope hes not tearing into it with too much force as its easy to hurt yourself. Knock on wood.

[beat]

Looking good that Santa will deliver us some defensive help around Christmas!

beat

[bobheckler]

Per Gary Washburn, 12/17:


Avery Bradley will practice today #celtics
5 minutes ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®ReplyRetweetFavorite

@GwashNBAGlobe
gary washburn



Finally, some good news that is being backed up by actions and not just wishful thinking...


bob



.

[dboss]

Great news

[Sam]

Avery Bradley returns to practice
Updated: December 17, 2012, 9:47 PM ET
By Chris Forsberg | ESPNBoston.com

Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley, sidelined since mid-May with shoulder issues that required a pair of offseason surgeries, engaged in contact activities for the first time during the team's off-day workout on Monday in Chicago, according to the team. He participated in the full 90-minute session.

Bradley's breakout 2011-12 season ended with a final shoulder dislocation in Game 4 of an Eastern Conference semifinals series against the Philadelphia 76ers. Bradley had already been dealing with issues in both shoulders, including multiple dislocations of the left. He underwent surgery on that shoulder in late May, then had a second procedure to clean up areas of his right shoulder in July.

Forsberg: Waiting for a savior
Will Avery Bradley's return be the season-changing boost the Celtics need? Chris Forsberg addresses that in his mailbag. Story

Bradley has been rehabbing with a mid-December return to practice in mind. He has hesitated to put a timeline on a return to game action, stressing he'll simply take it day by day once he resumes contact activities.

The Celtics have toyed with the idea of sending Bradley to the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League for him to get some game reps and shake any rust from nearly seven months away from contact activities. Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge previously noted Bradley might be back on the court early in the new calendar year.

Boston shuffled veteran guard Jason Terry to a reserve role this past weekend, which hinted that Bradley might be nearing his return to full practice. Terry, a former Sixth Man of the Year, has started 16 of 23 games this season at shooting guard, even though he was recruited to Boston to provide a long-desired bench spark. Courtney Lee is currently the team's starting shooting guard.

If Bradley resumes his starting duties upon his return to game action, the Celtics would have the luxury of Terry and Lee off the pine moving forward.

The Celtics held an off-day practice session in Chicago on Monday afternoon in advance of Tuesday's visit to the Bulls to wrap up a three-game road trip.

Boston's defense has struggled throughout the start of the new campaign, and the team hopes the return of Bradley will aid the Celtics in resuming a more familiar brand of lock-down defense.

Sam

[bobheckler]

Sherrod Blakeley





[size=18][size=24]CHICAGO — When the Boston Celtics arrived at the United
Center for today's practice, Avery Bradley was one of the first to enter
the court area.

That's not surprising when you consider he was
just moments away from practicing -- something he has not done in nearly
six months.

It's still too soon to say when he will play again,
but Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge told
CSNNE.com recently that he anticipates Bradley's return to games being
sometime in early January.


And Doc Rivers said on Monday that when Bradley does return, it will
most likely be as a starter with Courtney Lee returning to the role of
being a key perimeter reserve along with Jason Terry.

"That's what he was when he left," Rivers said. "But he'll have to earn that and
get it. But I just think on paper, it looks better. But you have to
wait and see once he gets back."

The last thing Bradley is thinking about right now is whether he will start or come off the bench.
Knowing he's one step closer to actually playing in a game is all he's
concerned about.

"I'm just excited," said Bradley who has been
recovering this season from surgery to both of his shoulders. "Hopefully
there are no setbacks and I have a good practice today."

Bradley has gradually been building up to this day.

First there was the time spent letting his body heal from the surgeries to
both shoulders. After that came a slow but steady process of
strengthening the muscles just so he could function normally.

From there, he went about trying to get the shoulders and the rest of his
body back into basketball shape with the last few weeks spent prepping
for today -- his first practice.

Bradley has been playing one-on-one with former Celtic Keyon Dooling who has since been hired by
the C's as a player development coach. Bradley has also had coaches set
screens on him which has forced him to fight through the screens.

"I've been working on game situation things," Bradley said.

His return to practice can only be a positive for a Celtics team that could
use a bit of good news after what has been a rougher-than-expected
start to the season.

Once considered on the short list of title
contenders, the Celtics (12-11) have been wallowing in a cesspool of
mediocrity all season.

While there's no argument among the C's
and those throughout the NBA that Bradley's return will help, Rivers
isn't about to put the team's fate moving forward solely on the
surgically repaired shoulders of Bradley.

"We have to be a better defensive team. Avery is going to help us," Rivers said. "But he ain't
the savior. But he absolutely is going to take a lot of pressure off of
guys."

And he'll do that by doing what he does as good as any guard in the NBA -- putting pressure on opponents.

Bradley's impact will indeed have a domino effect on several players, and not all of them guards either.

Because he's such a strong on-the-ball defender, that will likely mean less
double-teaming will be needed from the bigs which gives them a better
chance of holding their own on the boards, and playing better interior
defense.

"It's huge to have those type of guys on your team,"
Boston power forward Brandon Bass told CSNNE.com. "That's what Doc
(Rivers) means when he says, 'give yourself up for the team.' There's
going to be a lot of guys who are just numbers guys. And then there's
guys who may not have great numbers but just as valuable as guys with
numbers. It's going to be great having Avery back."

Indeed, Bradley provides the kind of intangibles that reminds Rivers of what
former Celtic Kendrick Perkins meant to the C's when he was a member of
the Green team.

"Completely different players," Rivers said. "But
there are certain guys that transcend their numbers with their team.
Avery does that; Kevin [Garnett] does that. He has numbers, but he
really does. [Garnett] can have average numbers and his impact on the
game is undeniable. Avery does that as well."

First-year Celtic Jason Terry has known Bradley for years with both hailing from the
Seattle-Tacoma area in Washington. Bradley at one point played for the
AAU team of Terry's father.

"I seen right away he had some talent, but he was a raw talent," Terry told CSNNE.com. "But immediately
going into his senior year I could see the difference. He began to
stand out."

Terry recalls Bradley playing full court defense at a
basketball camp for high school All-Americans -- something that rarely
happens.

"That spoke volumes to the kind of player he was developing into," Terry said.[/size][/size]



bob



.

[sinus007]

Bobh,
I love you, man, but why do you want me to go blind

AK

[bobheckler]

Bobh,
I love you, man, but why do you want me to go blind

AK

Sorry sinus. As you can see from the [size=...] at the beginning and end, I tried to resize the font, but it's not working for me.

Funny thing is that it looks fine in the preview mode, but when I send it the size doesn't change.


bob


.

[gyso]

Sherrod Blakeley


[size=7]


CHICAGO — When the Boston Celtics arrived at the United
Center for today's practice, Avery Bradley was one of the first to enter
the court area.

That's not surprising when you consider he was
just moments away from practicing -- something he has not done in nearly
six months.

It's still too soon to say when he will play again,
but Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge told
CSNNE.com recently that he anticipates Bradley's return to games being
sometime in early January.


And Doc Rivers said on Monday that when Bradley does return, it will
most likely be as a starter with Courtney Lee returning to the role of
being a key perimeter reserve along with Jason Terry.

"That's what he was when he left," Rivers said. "But he'll have to earn that and
get it. But I just think on paper, it looks better. But you have to
wait and see once he gets back."

The last thing Bradley is thinking about right now is whether he will start or come off the bench.
Knowing he's one step closer to actually playing in a game is all he's
concerned about.

"I'm just excited," said Bradley who has been
recovering this season from surgery to both of his shoulders. "Hopefully
there are no setbacks and I have a good practice today."

Bradley has gradually been building up to this day.

First there was the time spent letting his body heal from the surgeries to
both shoulders. After that came a slow but steady process of
strengthening the muscles just so he could function normally.

From there, he went about trying to get the shoulders and the rest of his
body back into basketball shape with the last few weeks spent prepping
for today -- his first practice.

Bradley has been playing one-on-one with former Celtic Keyon Dooling who has since been hired by
the C's as a player development coach. Bradley has also had coaches set
screens on him which has forced him to fight through the screens.

"I've been working on game situation things," Bradley said.

His return to practice can only be a positive for a Celtics team that could
use a bit of good news after what has been a rougher-than-expected
start to the season.

Once considered on the short list of title
contenders, the Celtics (12-11) have been wallowing in a cesspool of
mediocrity all season.

While there's no argument among the C's
and those throughout the NBA that Bradley's return will help, Rivers
isn't about to put the team's fate moving forward solely on the
surgically repaired shoulders of Bradley.

"We have to be a better defensive team. Avery is going to help us," Rivers said. "But he ain't
the savior. But he absolutely is going to take a lot of pressure off of
guys."

And he'll do that by doing what he does as good as any guard in the NBA -- putting pressure on opponents.

Bradley's impact will indeed have a domino effect on several players, and not all of them guards either.

Because he's such a strong on-the-ball defender, that will likely mean less
double-teaming will be needed from the bigs which gives them a better
chance of holding their own on the boards, and playing better interior
defense.

"It's huge to have those type of guys on your team,"
Boston power forward Brandon Bass told CSNNE.com. "That's what Doc
(Rivers) means when he says, 'give yourself up for the team.' There's
going to be a lot of guys who are just numbers guys. And then there's
guys who may not have great numbers but just as valuable as guys with
numbers. It's going to be great having Avery back."

Indeed, Bradley provides the kind of intangibles that reminds Rivers of what
former Celtic Kendrick Perkins meant to the C's when he was a member of
the Green team.

"Completely different players," Rivers said. "But
there are certain guys that transcend their numbers with their team.
Avery does that; Kevin [Garnett] does that. He has numbers, but he
really does. [Garnett] can have average numbers and his impact on the
game is undeniable. Avery does that as well."

First-year Celtic Jason Terry has known Bradley for years with both hailing from the
Seattle-Tacoma area in Washington. Bradley at one point played for the
AAU team of Terry's father.

"I seen right away he had some talent, but he was a raw talent," Terry told CSNNE.com. "But immediately
going into his senior year I could see the difference. He began to
stand out."

Terry recalls Bradley playing full court defense at a
basketball camp for high school All-Americans -- something that rarely
happens.

"That spoke volumes to the kind of player he was developing into," Terry said.



bob



.

bob,

I can make your post big if you would like. Say the word.

gyso

[bobheckler]

I love Bradley, but our issues are much bigger than him.







bob



.

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