After having his contract guaranteed Friday morning for the rest of the season, Avery Bradley turned in an impressive performance for the Los Angeles Lakers at night.
Bradley caught fire immediately against the Atlanta Hawks, dropping 13 first-quarter points en route to a 21-point night, just one short of his season-high.
He hit his 3s and made timely cuts to the rim for open layups while having the Trae Young assignment. Bradley played a pivotal role in Young’s 8-of-21 (1-of-7 3P) shooting display, and LeBron James praised the veteran guard for the presence he brings to the squad.
“He’s just a true professional,” James said. “He’s a guy who knows exactly what his role is, and he never steps outside of that. Never tries to do too much. Never tries to do something he can’t do, and he literally gets the most out of what he does every single night.”
James analyzed Bradley’s performance in further detail using the role he usually plays for the Lakers.
“For us, it’s not really about him making shots. He brings a defensive intensity that everybody just feeds off of, but then when you have a game where he has 13 in the first quarter, and he’s aggressive offensively, that’s all extra credit. That’s all extra that we just love,” James said. “And we always want him to be more aggressive offensively because he shoots the ball extremely well, but it’s just a treat to have him.”
Bradley wasn’t even on the roster during the offseason, but when injuries accumulated early on, he stepped in and earned a spot in the rotation. The Lakers will need the 31-year-old guard to maintain this level of play because it takes the unit to a new level.
