Game Report - 12/18/13

Some brief and very delayed thoughts on a disappointing loss in a very winnable game. I was not able to give most of my attention to this game, as I was unreasonably expected to pay attention to my 4-month old child, so I will offer just two bullets on items that came at the end of the game.

• It seems a strange time to mention it, considering Brandon Jennings went off with one of the best games of his career, but I love watching Avery Bradley play defense. It seems to me that there are at least two occasions each game where he manages to completely blow up an offensive set or play, simply by not letting the ball handler get where he wants to go. Kudos to Jennings who hit a ridiculously tough three with 46 seconds left to give Detroit the lead -- but that was stellar defense from Avery that led to the tough shot. He then managed to give Boston one final chance at a win by stealing Jennings' lunch and smothering him on Detroit's final possession. The enticing thing to me about Bradley is that as he continues to build a reputation as an elite defender, I believe he will get a greater benefit of the doubt from the officials. I'm not sure it's really possible to be a lockdown defender in today's NBA with the rules, and how many offenses are built on dribble penetration from guards and setting picks for the ball handler, but he gives the C's a weapon few teams can match.
• Bradley gave the team a final chance, one that the team promptly squandered. Starting with the final play, I don't mind an isolation for Green with that little time left, as one of the few guys capable of creating his own shot. Yet Josh Smith is a high-level defender and maybe not the match-up to attack in that situation. If that sounds like a criticism of The New Wooden, let me quickly praise his sense to call a time out with five seconds left as the first option -- a post-up for Brandon Bass -- looked like it was leading to absolutely nothing. Seems like some teams might be reluctant to pull the plug as that unfolded, but calling a TO and resetting was the right call.