WALTHAMPatience is the lesson that keeps on teaching when it comes to Avery Bradley who once again finds himself out with an injury heading into training camp.
It seems to be paying off, as Bradley remains on the mend from surgery to both of his shoulders.
During the Boston Celtics' media day on Friday, Bradley said that he is "months ahead" of schedule in his recovery.
If that's the case, there's a chance that he could be back on the floor for the C's sometime in November.
"At first they (doctors) said I was coming back in January, but now they say I'm months ahead," Bradley said. "That makes me feel good that I am making progress."
Bradley hasn't been cleared to do any shooting yet, but instead has been working to strengthen both shoulders and, "try not to do things I'm not supposed to be doing; listen to the doctors. They're so proud of me because I haven't been trying to do too much."
He added," I know if I touched a basketball, I probably would have shot it. I've just been taking my time, listening to everything they tell me to."
Boston Celtics
And in Bradley's case, doing less means a quicker return to the floor.
The 6-foot-2 guard emerged last season as one of the best on-the-ball defenders in the NBA.
The injuries bothered him throughout this past season, but became too much to handle during the Eastern Conference finals against the Miami Heat last season.
"Throughout the year, I just kept pounding it down," Bradley said of his right shoulder. "My right one started to come out at the beginning of the year and I kept playing through it. Then there was a period I wasn't playing at all so the right one kind of healed itself. Once I started playing, my left one started toI tore everything. It was hard, but I wanted to keep playing. But it got to the point I couldn't play."
In his absence, the Celtics will go with Courtney Lee who was acquired via sign-and-trade this summer from Houston. Bradley understands he will have his hands full if he is to resume his starting job once he's healthy enough to start playing again.
Still, Bradley is adamant in stating that he will not rush his return to the lineup.
"I'm just trying to lay low, not rush anything back," he said. "Just take it day-by-day so that when I come back, I come back strong."