Even though the Boston Celtics failed to haul in their top free agent target in Kevin Durant, they still managed to land Al Horford. Many considered him to be the second best player available in free agency.
With one of the deepest teams in the Eastern Conference, the Celtics hope the addition of Horford will take them to the next level after consecutive first round playoff exits.
Avery Bradley is confident that this will be the case, particularly on defense.
Boston had the fourth best defensive rating in the NBA last season thanks mostly to their length and quickness on the perimeter. Inside, Jared Sullinger and Amir Johnson performed admirably, but their lack of size was a problem.
Insert Al Horford, a versatile paint defender who excelled in Mike Budenholzer's system with the Atlanta Hawks. Bradley believes he will transition smoothly to the Celtics' scheme.
From Brian Robb of CBS Boston:
“I think he’ll help us out a lot,” Bradley explained. “Having a guy behind me—not to say the guys in the past weren’t good, because they were pretty dang good, especially Jared [Sullinger]. He really helped a lot as far as talking.
“But Al, having that leadership and having that experience, he’s been to the playoffs multiple years in a row. So he knows what it takes to be a great defender, and I know he talks well.
…
“I feel like the sky’s the limit for us,” he said. “I’m hoping that we can be one or two in the NBA on the defensive end. If we all lock in and that’s our mindset going into every single game, I feel like it will not only help us win games but all our goals will come true being a top defense in the NBA.”
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