When Avery Bradley returns, the Boston Celtics should rely on him heavily.
Avery Bradley
Avery Bradley is not a savior, Doc Rivers has said. But Boston Celtics fans everywhere are hoping he's The One.
The Celtics need Bradley to choose the red pill so he can save the world. They need him to return to the court so strong that when he asks, "What are you trying to tell me? That I can dodge bullets?" Doc Rivers responds, "No, Avery. I'm trying to tell you that when you're ready, you won't have to."
The Celtics need Bradley to boost a defense that has allowed at least 100 points in three consecutive outings. They need him to return able to dropkick opponents with such force they careen through a brick wall across the building. They need him to possess so much agility he can do back flips to avoid trains approaching at breakneck speed. They need him so physically strong he can grab a pretty woman in one hand while dangling from a rope being carried by a helicopter at more than 100 MPH with the other. They need him to be so mentally tuned in he can stop 20 approaching bullets just by putting out his hand. They need him to fix their rebounding issues, paint protection and suddenly-struggling offense.
The Celtics won't be asking a lot from Bradley. Just a repeat of last season, when his insertion into the starting lineup led to an awesome second half of the regular season and a playoff run that fell 10 minutes shy of another trip to the NBA Finals. They could really use his help at starting shooting guard, backup point guard and anywhere in the second-unit frontcourt. They need him to bend spoons just by looking at them, restore a defensive identity to a team desperately searching for it, and do it all just a handful of months removed from two shoulder surgeries.
Bradley's one of the world's best perimeter defenders and his offensive improvements last season provided tantalizing hope for his future. But the Celtics don't just need him to be good; they need him capable of jumping 100 feet from one building to the next; skilled enough to view his opponents' moves in slow motion; fearless enough to walk into a military-controlled building just to save a friend.
Bradley returned to practice Wednesday and said he felt no pain. He is expected to return to the lineup in early January, perhaps with a quick rehabilitation stint in the D-League first. He said he'll travel with the team on its Western Conference road trip in late-December, but no plans exist for him to play on that trip. Once Bradley's ready, though, Rivers has already predicted he will return to the starting lineup.
Boston would surely appreciate him returning as The One.
Or, so the Celtics don't need to rely so heavily on a 22-year old with three good months of NBA basketball in his career, Bradley's teammates could just play better. That would work, too.