The Utah Jazz are planning to take the same approach against Shawn Bradley as everyone else: They'll try to force him away from the basket.
"Muscle him outside the low block area. Force him as high up the lane as you possibly can," said Jazz assistant coach Gordon Chiesa. "You have to keep your body on him."The Jazz get their first up-close look at the 7-foot-6 Philadelphia center from Castle Dale, Utah, Friday when the teams meet in the Spectrum. Bradley played only 13 minutes in Wednesday's loss to Atlanta, complaining of dizziness and flu-like symptoms. However, he practiced with the team Thursday and is expected to be ready against the Jazz.
The Jazz vow not to let Bradley disrupt their normal patterns and shots. But with Bradley's enormous wing-span, that won't be easy. "He changes 5-7 shots a game, besides blocking shots," said Jazz assistant coach Gordon Chiesa, who scouted the Sixers. "He runs the floor like a deer. That's what makes him special from many other big people."
Bodying Bradley around the court is the most effective way teams have found to neutralize him. Nevertheless, he possesses surprising quickness and agility and can shoot over virtually anyone. "Basically, he will have a career where he shoots over people," continued Chiesa, "where Shaquille O'Neal will try to go through you."
Eight games into the season, Bradley is second in the league in blocked shots. But will he revolutionize the game, the way some coaches and scouts predict?
"In this era, revolutionizing the game is hard," cautioned Chiesa. "There are so many great players with different skills. But I could say this: he changes the game already."