Avery Bradley has come a long way during his two years as a member of the Boston Celtics. When he was a rookie, he average just over five minutes a game. He was one of the last guys on the bench. But towards the end of this season his role increased more and more as Ray Allen struggled with injury. Now he has a chance to be the go-to-guy with Allen headed to Miami.
Allen is leaving behind some big shoes that Bradley won’t be able to fill unless he improves even more and stays in Boston for a long time. The good news for Celtics fans is that Allen took Bradley under his wing and left him with some positive stuff to build on.
"He helped me out every single day," Bradley said. "Sometimes I'd just be working out and he'd be watching on the side. He'd get up and tell me how I can be more consistent. I really thank him for that. Once I started playing the two-guard, he wanted to help me out, so that I could be the best two-guard I could be.”
Bradley went on to say how sad it was to see Allen leave, calling the Celtics a “family” and all his teammates are more like his “brothers.”
With his “brother” gone, it’s time for Bradley to step up. He’ll be in a tough battle for playing time with the newy acquired Jason Terry and Courtney Lee both competing for minutes. The Celtics actually have more depth at the two-guard now, so Bradley may take a step back this season if he doesn’t show he can contribute quickly.
For whoever is playing shooting guard for the Celtics, it’s going to be tough to replace one of the greatest shooters of all time and a true Boston favorite. Of course, the city loves winners, so if someone can step in and get them back to the Eastern Conference elite, it may help the fans get over Ray Allen a little bit quicker.
