By A.Sherrod Blakely
CSNNE.com
BOSTONWith most of the superstars for Boston and New York sitting the season finale out, their matchup in the eyes of many might seem meaningless.
But any chance to step on the floor, is an opportunity that should not be taken for granted.
Rookie Avery Bradley is proof of that, as he closed out his first year in the NBA with a career-high 20 points in helping the Celtics defeat the Knicks, 112-102. Boston also got a strong game seldom-used reserves Sasha Pavlovic (19 points) and Troy Murphy (nine points, four rebounds, two steals).
With the win, the C's (56-26) closed out the season by snapping a two-game losing streak. Meanwhile, the Knicks (42-40) have now lost their last two after winning their previous seven games.
Before the game, the Celtics pumped up the fact that, as is the case in most NBA arenas during the final home game, it was Fan Appreciate Night.
And unless you spent some time watching the Celtic's D-League affiliate in Maine this year or watched Bradley at the University of Texas last season, Wednesday's breakout performance was unexpected.
Boston Celtics
Because coach Doc Rivers opted to sit most of his rotation players, including all five starters, Bradley had the rare opportunity to play extended minutes.
The Celtics have been trying to convert the 6-foot-3 guard into a point guard.
But performances like the one he put on Wednesday indicate that if he does, in fact, develop into the kind of combo guard they believe he can be, he'll most likely be at his best when he's in the role of a scorer and not necessarily someone who sets up the offense.
"Right now, Avery's a scorer," Rivers said. "He's not really a point guard. He's a direct line-drive guard."
On Wednesday, those direct lines led to lay-up after lay-up, sprinkled with an occasional dunk.
It was the kind of finish that the 20-year-old desperately needed after a rookie season that hasn't gone the way he would have hoped.
While the Celtics didn't anticipate him being a major part of their rotation, injuries coupled with struggling to adapt to being an NBA point guard, limited his opportunities to play with the Celtics.
Eventually he was sent to the Development League in Maine.
To some players, being assigned to the D-League isn't embraced.
For Bradley, he couldn't imagine having a performance like the one he had on Wednesday if he hadn't spent time earlier this season with the Maine Red Claws.
"In the D-League, I was able to have a rhythm and feel comfortable at that level," Bradley said. "I felt the same way tonight. The D-League really helped me out a lot; it helped me know I could play a little bit. When I went down, I was kind of nervous. I didn't know what I could do. I hadn't played in so long."
Bradley appeared in nine games (six starts) with the Red Claws, averaging 17.1 points, 5.2 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game. In January, he set a D-League record with nine steals in one game.
Rivers has never made a secret about his love for defensive-minded guards. That's why despite not playing Bradley much this season, Rivers remains high on the rookie's future in the NBA.
"He was an NBA defender before he got here, and he still is," Rivers said. "We haven't messed him up. So he's a better defender now. And he's young; we can't forget that. He should be a sophomore in college, right?"
He's youthful, for sure.
But he's also hungry; hungry to prove himself as an NBA player who can help a team like the C's.
While it's unlikely he'll be on the Celtics' active roster during the playoffs, performances like the one he put on Wednesday give some hope that eventually he'll become a regular contributor to the team.
As much as he would like to play more, he understands that being part of a winning culture like the Celtics can pay dividends as well.
"Playing on a winning team is always good and playing on a team with vets is always good," Bradley said. "I just take the most out of it and try and learn every single day. I love my teammates and playing on this team is the best thing for me."
A. Sherrod Blakely can be reached atsblakely@comcastsportsnet.com.Follow Sherrod on Twitter at http:twitter.comsherrodbcsn