Doc Rivers says he doesn’t know whether Avery Bradley will start when Ray Allen returns
The “start Avery Bradley” train now threatens to scoop Doc Rivers at the station and bring him along for the ride.
“I don’t know yet,” Rivers said about the possible change. “We’re playing well, but we’ve also played well with Ray, by the way. I think people forget that part. The good thing is we have options, and we have players with confidence and we have a lot of them. That’s where the season has helped. It’s been good for us. The best part is not Avery for me. Or [Mickael Pietrus]. The best part is Keyon is coming on, so we have an extra guy, and we need it.”
Ray Allen said earlier this week he would have no problem heading to the bench “if it makes us better offensively.” But the biggest changes resulting from the new starting lineup have been defensively.
Allow Paul Flannery to explain:
Over the last five games, the Celtics have held four teams below 90 points per 100 possessions. Included in that list are Utah – who ranks seventh in offensive efficiency – and now Miami, who ranks third. Playing great defense is nothing new for the Celtics, who rank third in defensive efficiency, allowing 99 points per 100 possessions, but this a whole other level. …
Coming into Sunday’s game, the starting lineup with Bradley at the off guard position is a rather incredible 24 points better per 100 possessions than the opponent. It’s not just defensively. In 151 possessions, they have scored 173 points.
Zach Lowe says Boston’s incredible defensive span extends back even before Bradley entered the starting lineup:
Boston in its last eight games has allowed 88.1 points per 100 possessions on average, per NBA.com. That is just unthinkable. Philadelphia, the league’s best defensive team and on pace (due to the general decline in offense this season) to allow one of the lowest points per possession totals in NBA history, surrenders about 95 points per 100 possessions, according to NBA.com.
Boston’s defense has just obliterated everyone in these eight games — well-rested teams, teams playing on back-to-backs, good scoring teams, awful scoring teams and just plain average scoring teams. They’ve held opponents to 52 percent shooting in the restricted area and 25 percent from three-point range, and they’ve done so without fouling any more than normal.
It might not be time to replace Ray Allen in the starting lineup, but it’s time to seriously start considering the option. With the losses of Jermaine O’Neal and Allen from the first five and the increased roles of Bradley and Greg Stiemsma, the Celtics have changed almost overnight into an athletic squad, after being slow and plodding for quite some time.
There are still questions facing the perspective change, including:
- Would Ray Allen be able to find open jump shots playing with the second unit? It’s different playing alongside Keyon Dooling than it is playing alongside Rajon Rondo.
- Would Allen REALLY be okay with the change? He’s started 1,139 of his 1,143 career games. Pride is a factor.
- Can Bradley continue to thrive on back door cuts even once teams scout him more thoroughly and become more acclimated to that?
- Is Allen’s floor spacing more valuable in a playoff series than it might be during the regular season?
What would you do?
Related posts:
- Avery Bradley visited Doc Rivers before the lockout to build a relationship
- Doc Rivers interested in “protecting” Avery Bradley
- The Avery Bradley point guard experiment is being scrapped, at least for now
- Wherein I wonder who will start when Kendrick Perkins returns
- Avery Bradley so nervous last year he didn’t even want to practice
Celtics Blog | Jay King | April 2, 2012
I would continue to start Bradley for a few games while Ray Allen eases into his minutes to make sure he doesn’t re-injure his ankle. After those few games I’d gauge how the team is doing and how Ray is reacting to the backup roll. As Doc this should be pretty easy because he knows all of his guys. Then I would make the decision.
If Ray Ray had a real problem with it, which I doubt he would because he is arguably the most professional player in the League I would probably start him again. But I’m not Doc, he’d do whats best for the team.
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Bradley and Rondo are dynamite, and we need a strong scorer off the bench.
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RA will extend his career another 3-5 years by coming off the bench, which I have been calling for since last year. He can be our ‘Vinnie Johnson’ who was instant offense for the championship Piston teams. I’d even start MP ahead of AB some and mix and match depending on the best initial match-ups. But the disruptive defense that AB brings is really helping RR play better and stay involved more (not just when he’s killing on offense, etc.). I love this team and our chances come the playoffs. Go Cs…
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definetily start AB, but doc will never do it, and i think that is stupid.with ab we gain defense and athetism, and he can also score, dont fool yourselfs, and with ray we power our bench. when ray starts the whole offense concists of setting him screens, and thats terrible… cause most of times he gets the ball and give it back right away if he doesnt get a clean shot.
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Hey, its me, the same guy who said Avery should be starting 2 months ago instead of ray. I’m back to say, told you so.
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Doc says it’s all about defense. With Avery, we start games strong on defense. Case closed. I love Ray. I want him back. It’s an honor to be asked to be sixth man. It’s something we need.
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Avery Bradley is the next Agent 0! Of course he deserves to start. I would still bring in MP behind PP and RA behind AB. Our offense is soooo much more dynamic with AB on the floor. And with our second unit, even if we resort to jacking up threes all the time with Ray, that’s fine because our bench needs help scoring.
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When Ray or Pierce whine, Doc bows. Ray would be killer off the bench, and Avery plus Rondo is a killer starting back court, and you can start Ray situationally. But no. Doc heard whines and sniffling, and he has patience for that unless it’s coming from Pierce or Allen.
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Putting Allen on the bench may ruffle his feathers a little, but that could be a good thing. Ray plays better with some fire in his belly, and coming off the bench could totally ignite him. Plus he wouldn’t have to share shots with Pierce. The biggest question is: could he get open with the second unit? Why not experiment and see. Will Dooling even play in the playoffs? It scares me to think of him getting a lot of minutes.
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