Phil Pressey Readies for the Big Time

Some young players just "feel" right for the Celtics.  It took Rondo one long bounce pass in transition for me to start feeling pretty good about him in his rookie year.  Sully's lineage and attitude felt good to me even before he started performing quite consistently in relatively short minutes for the Celts.  By Phil Pressey's second Summer League game, I was intrigued by the fact that his skill set seems ideally suited to the Celtics' style of play.  (There's no guarantee that it will remain their style of play with a new coach, but I believe Stephens will enhance their previous style—e.g. with more of a motion offense—than to revamp it on a wholesale basis.)

Several times, I've mentioned the possibility that I could envision Pressey and Bradley becoming a modern day version of the Jones Boys off the bench.  Pressey may already play the most tenacious defense (anywhere on the court) of any current Celtic other than Bradley.  They could be a very disruptive pair.  Moreover, Phil has the playmaking potential I feel Avery has never exhibited.  It remains to be seen what kind of scoring production either of them can maintain on an regular basis, but Pressey's not a bad shooter, and I hope Bradley's healed shoulders will help him recapture the shooting potential he exhibited the season before last.  Moreover, I think a motion offense will be ready-made for Avery's baseline drives.

Here's a short article on Pressey.

Sam

Pressey looks to make his own name with Celtics
CSN
August 14, 2013, 1:45 pm

Phil Pressey is taking lessons from his dad Paul when it comes to dealing with the NBA.
(AP Photo)

Like the sons of past NBA players, Boston Celtics guard Phil Pressey is intent on making a name for himself.

But having grown up around the game, Pressey knows part of the process of becoming a better NBA player is becoming a willing pupil. That's why the many words of wisdom passed along to him from his father Paul did not fall upon deaf ears.

And while the younger Pressey's talent certainly was the key to him being signed by the Celtics this summer, lessons from his father played their role as well.

"He knows what it takes to play at this level," the younger Pressey said of his father Paul, an 11-year NBA veteran and former Celtics assistant coach (2004-2006). "He gives me insights on what he saw throughout his years."

And those words are just part of the narrative that has taken Phil Pressey from the disappointment of not being drafted last June, to potentially being in the Celtics rotation -- possibly as a starter -- this season depending on when Rajon Rondo returns from his torn ACL suffered in January.

Paul Pressey knows there will be a lot thrown at his son quickly, and that Phil won't have a lot of time to digest it all.

However, the elder Pressey contends that the trials and tribulations that his son has endured have prepared him for this moment, this opportunity.

"Him being around basketball all his life, this is second nature to him," Paul Pressey told CSNNE.com. "The biggest thing for him is making the adjustment to what the NBA is all about."

Players often talk about being committed to the game while coaches speak of the need for players to be consistent.

More than either of those factors, a player needs an opportunity to play, which is exactly what Pressey will have with the Celtics.

While the C's are hopeful that Rondo will be back in time for the start of the season, a more likely scenario won't see the four-time All-Star back on the floor until sometime in December.

Rondo's torn right ACL injury occurred on Jan. 25 against Atlanta and wasn't detected until two days later. The surgery, performed by Dr. James Andrews, was not done until Feb. 14.

Most recoveries from torn ACL injuries take about nine months or longer. An optimistic outlook would put Rondo's return sometime in the middle of November.

Considering how cautious the Celtics have been in the past with players returning from major injuries, it would come as no surprise if they had Rondo spend a couple extra weeks to work on his conditioning without playing in games.

Plus the C's schedule in December consists of 12 games, nine of which are at the TD Garden. A chance for Rondo to get back on the floor with limited travel has to be appealing as well.

However long Rondo is off the floor, the 5-foot-11 Pressey will have an opportunity to establish himself as a player in this league.

But with that opportunity, the elder Pressey cautions, there has to be an understanding that some of the things that worked in college will not translate at the next level.

"The game is full of more talent," the elder Pressey has told his son. "'You're not the fastest. You're not the only one that's skilled. Everybody on the floor has skill. They got speed, they got size. So you have to make adjustments, too.'

Paul Pressey added, "He's smart enough to figure that out. It's just gonna take time on the floor at this level to figure it out."

And while Phil Pressey said he plans to learn all he can from Rondo, he knows Rondo's injury will afford him a chance to compete for playing time from Day One which is rare for an undrafted rookie.

"When you have that opportunity, you can't go wrong with it," Phil Pressey said. "You have an opportunity to prove yourself and show the GM and coaches, you want to play for the team. You can't ask for anything else."

I thought Phil Pressey was the third best player on the Celtics Orlando squad.  Kelly was #1, obviously, but Tony Mitchell of the Fort Wayne Mad Ants (I just love that name and had to say it one last time) was impressive.  Mitchell, unfortunately, was doomed by the full roster and the need for a backup point guard and centers.

Pressey wasn't a great floor leader for most of the week.  He did have a breakout double-digit-dime game at the end.  This shouldn't be weighted too badly against him considering they only had a few days of practice before the league games started, he just met his teammates, just learned the plays and was thrown into it.  He did ok.  I don't think, quite frankly, he ran the point as well as Dionte Christmas did last year.

His mid-range jumper, however, was fairly reliable.  He didn't bring it out much, but he seemed to hit his shots when he did.  Even more impressive was his Avery Bradley-like full court on-the-ball defense.  He was on his man every second, every step, every game, all week.  His hands were quick, making steals, and forcing the ball out of their pg's hands.  He was perhaps the most fundamentally sound defender on the squad (he really moved his feet) and, certainly, the most aggressive.

There is more than a little scuttlebutt that says Rondo will miss November.  This means that Phil Pressey will get a lot of minutes, if not start.  If he thought there was a lot to learn running a team in Orlando...

I have hopes for this kid.  I liked his jumpshot and his confidence.  I loved his defense.  He's quick, very quick.  Also, not to be under-rated, is the quality of his mentor. His father was an outstanding point guard, albeit with much greater physical gifts. If we run a motion offense for him, I think he'll be a nice addition to the roster. A static halfcourt offense, though, will be a waste.


bob


.

dboss wrote:Paul Pressey was not a PG.

Great all around player.  Great defender.

dboss,

My apologies.

Paul Pressey created the full court point forward. I suppose Bird created the halfcourt point forward.


bob


.