Boston Celtics: 3 players who need a big final month
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3. Brad Wanamaker
Brad Wanamaker is by no means a bad NBA player. However, he doesn’t do anything especially well.
One surprising thing to note is that he does actually lead the league in free throw percentage out of all players who have attempted at least one free throw per game (NBA.com).
Other than that, he has been too inconsistent to be a reliable backup point guard. Granted, that title could easily go to Marcus Smart once Kemba Walker returns, but a Wanamaker/Smart backcourt off the bench could be nice if Wanamaker improves his game over the course of the next month.
His current stats sit at 6.7 points per game, along with 2.7 assists and 2 rebounds per contest. He is averaging those numbers in roughly 19.1 minutes per game. Certainly not the most efficient of minutes.
It is worth noting that when Wanamaker is out there, he isn’t being asked to be a primary scorer. Still, he seems hesitant to shoot at times. He may have a wide-open three, yet drive in and proceed to kick the ball out to a teammate.
Related Story. The Celtics expect more from Brad Wanamaker. light
Wanamaker is crafty inside, though. If he gets to the paint, he is sneakily strong and can finish against taller players, as shown by his 50 percent frequency of shots coming from within 10 feet of the hoop. He also shoots 50 percent from three on catch-and-shoots, but still attempts less than one per game.
For Brad to have a strong last month, a realistic statline would be for him to average 8.0 points, and for him to increase his assists. As someone who handles the ball off the bench, an extra assist per game (or two!) would certainly not hurt him.
Wanamaker is nearly a lock to see some sort of playoff minutes, but it would be reassuring to see him improve his stats and really earn his minutes in the postseason.