Say what you will, Bradley above it all

[MavsFanFinley]

Say what you will, Bradley above it all

Friday, November 21, 2003

This is Shawn Bradley's eighth season with the Mavericks. In that time, he has heard every rant, rip and catcall possible.

A uniform reaction starts at Mavericks home games when Bradley appears.

Groans.

No local performer has inspired such a negative response since former Rangers reliever Terry Mathews. A decade ago, the club stopped announcing Mathews when he entered games in a failed attempt to cut off the boos.

Bradley knows what everyone in the seats, and sometimes on the benches, thinks of his often-maddening play. This is his response:

"I love playing basketball in this town," Bradley said. "I love the people here. This is home."

He meant it.

The most amazing thing about Shawn Bradley is that after a difficult decade in the NBA, he is not bitter. If there is an iota of resentment in his 7-6 body, he hides it well.

Bradley has been mocked and ridiculed more than any other player in the league. He can be clumsy on the court, bringing cruel laughter.

The treatment has not broken him.

It's an acquired skill.

People have said hurtful things, intentional or unintentional, about Bradley all his life. His challenge was to deal with the slurs, or descend into despair.

Bradley has kept his grip by keeping basketball in balance. He enjoys every moment of his career, but "my true happiness" comes from wife Annette and their five children.

Bradley's play can be erratic, but his psyche is well grounded.

"I was always different," Bradley said. "It's not always easy, and sometimes [comments] hurt. But that's not where I get my validation.

"I understand there are going to be comments. Such is life. But I still love to play this game."

That is important for the Mavericks, the league's terrors from tiny town. They need Bradley now more than ever.

"We'll get our bell rung if we don't have Shawn Bradley available," coach Don Nelson said.

Not much has changed about Bradley's game. He will pick up fouls in a hurry. He can be overpowered and will not score much.

He also leads the club in the one quality that cannot be taught, coached or developed.

Height.

In putting together a roster full of scorers, the Mavericks left themselves looking up at the rest of the league.

The Mavericks, as always, go against the grain by having only Bradley and Dirk Nowitzki at taller than 6-9. A lack of big men, no matter their skill level, is a tremendous disadvantage in the NBA. Every team has size.

Consider Saturday's opponent: Denver. The Nuggets have four players taller than 6-10. They will need all of those big men and more to chase down the misses of a team that began Friday's play with an atrocious 37.1 shooting percentage.

Nelson can use Danny Fortson and Eduardo Najera at center for spurts. Both have more muscle than Bradley, but height eventually wears down strength.

Fortson and Najera are also only 6-8. That is not nearly tall enough to anchor the back of zone defenses. Opponents can pass over Fortson and Najera.

The Mavericks must play zone defenses. Those zones helped the Mavericks reach the Western Conference finals last season. Nelson had Bradley and Raef LaFrentz, at 6-11, to use in those defenses.

With LaFrentz traded to Boston, the burden falls upon Bradley. If he is active, the zones are effective.

Bradley's playing time has been limited as he continues rehabilitation from off-season surgery on his left knee. In his brief exposure, Bradley has shown he can help a team full of scorers just by being tall.

With Bradley in, opponents have made only 65 of 170 shots for a 38.2 percentage. The Mavericks have a 110-98 rebounding advantage during Bradley's minutes.

Bradley alone does not do that, but he helps. Fortson compared Bradley's defensive presence to that of Houston's Yao Ming. The shooter always worries about Bradley, Fortson said.

That showed during Thursday's 95-92 win against San Antonio, when Bradley had seven rebounds and three blocks in a season-high 22 minutes.

With Bradley in, the Spurs made 15 of 37 shots for a 40.5 percentage. With Bradley out, the Spurs made 20 of 42 shots for a 47.6 percentage.

"Shawn's been consistent the last couple of games," teammate Michael Finley said. "That's hard to say, because when you do, he usually goes back to playing bad again. But when he plays like he did [against the Spurs], he makes us better."

[Fah Q]

"Shawn's been consistent the last couple of games," teammate Michael Finley said. "That's hard to say, because when you do, he usually goes back to playing bad again. But when he plays like he did [against the Spurs], he makes us better."

Wow that was a backhanded compliment by a team leader

[Murphy3]

I really think that the compliment has a little bit of sorriness in it. I didn't hear Finley making comments about NVE last year concerning his very inconsistent play.

I like Fin and all, but I can't say that I'm not disappointed in him.

[jayC]

Murph,

The knock on bradley for a long time is that he didn't put forth the effort every night. Until last year you could say that was true. The mantis has always been inconsistent but it could be that he just didn't have a good post defender playing beside him. It seems as Dirks post D has improved, Bradley's play has too.

[dude1394]

Originally posted by: jayC
Murph,

The knock on bradley for a long time is that he didn't put forth the effort every night. Until last year you could say that was true. The mantis has always been inconsistent but it could be that he just didn't have a good post defender playing beside him. It seems as Dirks post D has improved, Bradley's play has too.

This is interesting JayC.. Bradley has always been saddled with being Yao Ming before Yao was cool. For the mavericks for many years he was expected to be the last line of defense, the last line of a very porous defense I might add. This year the whole team seems upgraded so that even when he's in there, the rest of the team is rebounding, playing defense.

But as nellie was talking about he does seem to lose conditioning easy. I wonder if he has ever attempted something like karate to improve his balance and overall conditioning. He really has nice hands for a big guy and if he could ever get better balance I think he would be really effective.

Also (assuming shawn stays healthy) he's really a nice long-term center. There is a picture of him up at el fenix I guess when he first came to the mavericks and he's easily 50-60 pounds heavier. In a few more years he will probably be 300 lbs and possibly again even more stable. I think bradley will be a very nice long-term center for the mavs, the fans should appreciate a guy who makes such an impact for a measly 5 million a year.

But it's really tough changing popular opinion because the folks making it usually don't know what they are talking about and want to give out shtick rather than resonded commentary.

Go MANTIS!! My bud and I at the arena allways have a great time cheering for shawn to MATISIZE someone.

[Murphy3]

JayC, I'm not saying that what Finley said wasn't true. I'm saying that regardless of whether or not it was strue, it's something that a leader should not say especially when the player in question appears to be playing as well as just about anyone on the team.

[dude1394]

It is really frustrating to be in the arena and hear the drunk idiots yelling at bradley for everything. If he doesn't block every shot, get every rebound, make every shot, they blast him.

Number one I hate to hear the fans boo their team, it is way too much like philedelphia. But some of the drunks at the arena don't do much else than gripe, it's a pain.

And he and walker both put their hands over their hearts during the national anthem. I like 'em both.

[LRB]

Originally posted by: dude1394
It is really frustrating to be in the arena and hear the drunk idiots yelling at bradley for everything. If he doesn't block every shot, get every rebound, make every shot, they blast him.

Number one I hate to hear the fans boo their team, it is way too much like philedelphia. But some of the drunks at the arena don't do much else than gripe, it's a pain.

Dude some of those drunks probably think that they are in Philly. And I'm with you, no place to be booing your team or it's players. But everyone likes to be able to pick on someone and Bradley is just a convient target. Doesn't make it right, just makes those who do it look very imature.

[dude1394]

There is one guy who sits up in the pizza inn section and has a really annoying way of "cheering". When the other team scores he boos. So what is he booing, the other team or the fact that the mavs let 'em score. Arrrrggggg....

I would say he's booing the other team but he's also got a constant commentary of come ON mav's with a really negative tone. I just have to make enough noise to drown him out. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

[LRB]

Originally posted by: Fah Q

Wow that was a backhanded compliment by a team leader

I think there is little doubt that Nellie's influence is showing here and not in a very positive way I might add. I would have hoped that Fin would have been able to overcome the negative influence from his coach.

[dirno2000]

I think there is little doubt that Nellie's influence is showing here and not in a very positive way I might add. I would have hoped that Fin would have been able to overcome the negative influence from his coach.

Mike Finley is a grown man and is fully capible of forming his own opinions. Face it, sometimes Shawn just doesn't show up and on those nights it's not just Nellie who realizes it.

[Murphy3]

Then Finley needs to start stepping up and calling out everyone that has bad stretches including himself.

[sike]

[quote]
Originally posted by: Fah Q

"Shawn's been consistent the last couple of games," teammate Michael Finley said. "That's hard to say, because when you do, he usually goes back to playing bad again. But when he plays like he did [against the Spurs], he makes us better."

this is not something (team leader or not) that a teammate should say about a fellow teammate to the MEDIA!....In the room it is fine to vent or blow off frustration or just be honest about personal feelings about a guy....but even the TRUTH can be detrimental when placed in the wrong hands(reporters)...if this were said about any player other than Bradley there would be reason for major concern to question this teams lauded "chemistry"....but because it is Shawn, most will just brush it away....and that is not right!

Hey, I am no Bradley apologist, but he is a teammate and deserves the respect of his fellow ball players...at least in a public forum! Not Fin's best move, ture or not![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-frown.gif[/img]

[MavsFanFinley]

I wish we could have heard the tone when Finley said this. Was he being harsh and negative towards a teammate? Which is out of character for Fin, at least, in a public forum. Or did he say it knowing that Bradley can put a string of games together that is dominate and not want to jinx him by complimenting him now?

[dude1394]

Well it looked like he was just being honest. That has been shawn's bug-a-boo, consistency. If he would just play hard every night, slam it when he can, then I would be very pleased. Start him about 10 minutes in the first/second half.

[Murphy3]

Even if it is honest, that does not mean that it needs to be said by a teammate. Much could be made by teammates griping about Finley and Dirk having off shooting years last year. No one ever publicly criticized NVE for being horribly inconsistent.

Sometimes it's best just to keep your mouth shut

[dude1394]

Originally posted by: Murphy3
Even if it is honest, that does not mean that it needs to be said by a teammate. Much could be made by teammates griping about Finley and Dirk having off shooting years last year. No one ever publicly criticized NVE for being horribly inconsistent.

Sometimes it's best just to keep your mouth shut

I do agree with you. Of course all of the other players could constantly harp on finley for being too timid to take it to the rack. Something like..
"Yeah he really was aggressive and took it to the rack today, but that's the thing with finley, he'll then just start settling for jumpers".
[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[u2sarajevo]

Bradley rising above it all!!!!

[mercury_rev]

"I was always different," Bradley said. "It's not always easy, and sometimes [comments] hurt. But that's not where I get my validation.

"I understand there are going to be comments. Such is life. But I still love to play this game."

Intelligent attitude.

[Chiwas]

Opponents can pass over Fortson and Najera.

Not quite true, I mean passing can be made regardless of the height, but not of the speed.

Maybe, but I'm not sure either cause the muscle factor but "opponents can make easier jumpshots or lay-ups over Fortson and Najera" could be better.

I was going also to say "dunk over", but I think Shawn has his own stories here.

And in the offensive end, I prefer Najera, then Shawn, and hardly Fortson.

However, none of them can play like an actual starting center, 30 or more minutes night after night.