It has been a long time since Shawn Bradley came off the bench. A long, long time. For the first time since he was a sophomore in high school, the 76ers 7-foot-6 center found out Friday night what it's like to be a reserve.
"My junior and senior years in high school and my freshman year in college, I started every game," said Bradley. "But starting or not starting, it really isn't an issue."It has been an eventful week for Bradley. Monday he was struck in the eye by Houston's Robert Horry, causing a slight corneal abrasion. In Wednesday's game against Atlanta, Bradley complained of dizziness and light-headedness and only ended up playing 13 minutes. Then on Friday he was benched.
"I'm feeling better. I feel well," said Bradley, prior to Friday's contest.
The strain of being a star already in the league, and coming up against some of the best centers in the NBA, already has taken its toll. In his first three games, he made only seven of his first 35 shots.
Sixers' coach Fred Carter decided prior to Friday's contest he would start former Jazz center Eric Leckner instead of Bradley.
"Basically, we're changing the lineup because so many things have been abuzz with Shawn, in terms of overall matchups and other things," said Carter. "We just wanted to get the pressure off a little and bring him off the bench for three, five, seven games. Try to give him a different perspective."
Bradley said he doesn't mind being benched. "I trust the coach's decision. I think what happens is what needs to happen now," he said. "That's the best situation."
Going into Friday's game, Bradley had started all eight Sixers' games, averaging 9.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.6 blocks. But despite an improvement in his recent shooting, he is still making just under 32 percent of his field-goal attempts.
"We'll just see how it goes," said Bradley. "If it works out great . . . .I'll just make the best of it."
Asked if the day-to-day chores of the NBA - such as interviews with reporters - had become a job by now, rather than a novelty, Bradley sighed, "Absolutely. It was from Day One. You guys (reporters) have always been a job . . . and I've never gotten paid for it. Some nights I could care less if you guys are here, other nights I don't mind."
Continued Bradley, "It's like everyone. You have good and bad days. Some nights it's fun in here talking. Other nights I want to go out the back door."
Bradley added that he knows reporters are "only doing your job, and I try to do what you need me to do."
As to when he expects to meet all the expectations put upon him, Bradley shrugged. "I want to do what's best for me, as soon as possible. If five years is as soon as it comes, that's fine. If it's three years, fine. If it only takes until the middle of this season, so be it."