Celtics need Bradley to direct traffic
The Boston Celtics’ recent success since Rajon Rondo’s season-ending injury has silenced doubters on whether the men in green can still compete against the upper echelon teams out East without their leader. If not, it’s certainly fended off the nails in the coffin…for now.
However, as their victory last week against the Clippers revealed, Rondo’s presence on the court is missed. Too often did the offense get stagnant or broken, being bailed out by tough shots made by the likes of Jason Terry and Paul Pierce – who both shot the ball well that night on an otherwise sub-par shooting percentage this season. Too often would Avery Bradley take the outlet pass following a defensive rebound, sprint down the court with blistering speed, head down, losing the opportunity to make a solid transition play or setting up a play for his peers.
Fortunately for Bradley, Bledsoe was doing the same thing for the Clippers, who were missing their floor general as well in Chris Paul. The result? A sloppy display of basketball overall. Another fortunate part for this Boston team is that both Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett are simply warriors. Always have been. Nevertheless, even their will and passion will be overwhelmed as the season goes on, and they cannot be expected to shoulder the team every night. Not if Doc Rivers wants them physically prepared for the playoffs. Their jobs must be made easier during the season, and that means smooth plays on offence in the form of pick-and-rolls, and finding the open man.
Bradley’s style of basketball, which involves stellar defence and constantly pushing the ball, compliments well with Rondo’s floor-managing style, as it forces opposing teams to adjust when Rondo sits, and that can be a nightmare. But Rondo is gone, and so is the effectiveness of Avery Bradley. It doesn’t help that another version of Bradley steps onto the floor when Bradley sits in Leandro Barbosa. Both point guards play with their head down, instead of dictating the flow on offense and running effective plays.
Bradley must continuously seek the advice of the side-lined Rondo, and learn how to become a pass-first point guard. No one is expecting 11 assists per game (nor should they), but it cannot be one dime a game either, as it stands now this season. Not only will it allow the team to somewhat resume playing their game as if Rondo never left, but Pierce can have the energy (every night) to turn it up and be effective late in the 4th quarter, just as he likes it.
Otherwise, expect to see KG and Pierce play hard and fervently for the next ten games or so, until gradually the season’s wear and tear takes a toll on them – leaving the team vulnerable come post-season.