Although the Los Angeles Lakers made the right move in trading for Anthony Davis to begin the 2019 NBA offseason, it seems they also were able to hit on their other free agent signings prior to the 2019-20 NBA season.
Avery Bradley signed a two-year, near $10 million deal that some had questions about given his recent injury history. He has missed time in recent seasons due to various ailments and his health was a concern for a team that was thin on perimeter defenders.
Although Bradley experienced some lower leg issues earlier in the season, he seems to have worked his way back to full health and it has clearly shown in recent months as he is shooting much better from the field and is providing the hounding defense he is known for.
After the team’s win against the Los Angeles Clippers, Bradley discussed how important it is for him and the rest of the role players to hit shots, via Lakers:
“It’s really important. Throughout this year, it’s been Caldwell-Pope at times, it’s been Danny Green, it’s been AC, it’s been Dwight. I can go down the list. We just have to all have that confidence. That’s what it is. You have to have that confidence to go out there and believe you can make the shots and just continue to play the right way.”
Bradley had his best offensive performance of the season against the Clippers, scoring 24 points on 9-of-17 shooting, including nailing 6-of-12 of his three-point attempts. His outside shooting was the difference-maker in the matchup as he was able to make the Clippers pay for helping off him which then led to them scrambling on the defensive end.
Bradley was also a pest defensively, picking up players full court and making them work to get past him. One particular sequence early in the first quarter set the tone of the game as he got into Patrick Beverley‘s jersey and stripped the ball from him and got a transition layup in the process, firing up the rest of the Lakers defense in the process.
The role players on the purple and gold have thrived in certain games this season and Bradley has really made his presence felt in recent weeks thanks to his shooting and defense. Each player seems to be rounding into playoff form, meaning that fans are finally seeing the version of the Lakers that can possibly win it all.