Learning the ropes

Celtics hope rookie Bremer can solidify point guard spot

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- On a night when even the great Jason Kidd got faked out of his shoes -- literally -- Celtics rookie point guard J.R. Bremer couldn't get too down about his own performance.

"I've never seen that before," Bremer said about the play in the first quarter when Kidd lost both sneakers trying to defend Celtics forward Eric Williams on a fast break. "I still don't know how it happened. All of the sudden, [Kidd] just lost his shoes."

Seeing the mighty Kidd look mortal might have helped Bremer put his own night in perspective. Though disappointed his team lost, the undrafted rookie out of St. Bonaventure -- and one of the NBA's big surprises this season -- had to take it as a learning experience.

"I think I did OK," said Bremer, who had 13 points, three rebounds and three assists. "But we lost the game. That's all that matters."

Thrust into the starting lineup in January, Bremer has responded with steady play that has helped keep Boston among the top Eastern contenders. As of Thursday he was averaging 7.9 points and 2.5 assists in 21.5 minutes per game while ranking in the top 15 in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.86).

The Celtics are praying, with a little more seasoning, that Bremer can help fortify the point guard position in the playoffs.

That's what made Thursday's showdown with Kidd so interesting. Last year Kidd rode roughshod over the Celtics in the postseason, averaging a triple double. On Thursday, the Nets' star had 13 points, eight rebounds and 12 assists, but Bremer at least showed he could hold his own.

"I think J.R. is learning a great deal," said coach Jim O'Brien, who has been starting Bremer ahead of veteran Tony Delk. "He's playing against the best players in the NBA as an undrafted rookie. I think it's a marvelous experience and it will help him in the future.

"The chance to go against Jason Kidd and other great point guard will only help him."

While Bremer might agree, it doesn't mean he had to relish the prospect. As he sat at his locker before Thursday's game, the soft-spoken Cleveland native sounded like he knew he was in for a big-time test. It was just going to be one more challenge for the kid who finished fourth in the nation in scoring (26.4 points per game) his senior year at St. Bonaventure only to go undrafted before the Celtics called last summer.

"He's real fast and he sees everything on the floor," Bremer said of Kidd. "You've just got to try to keep in front of him. Try to keep him out of the lane and try to slow him down in transition."

While Bremer said he wasn't nervous, it looked like he might have had some butterflies early. In the opening minute, Kidd baited Bremer into jacking up a 3-pointer that missed. Then Kidd took off on a break, taking it right to the rookie with a shimmy move that left him in his dust.

"Anybody coming at you full speed is going to be hard to stop," Bremer noted.

But Bremer hung in there. He scored on a quick baseline drive. He took it into the lane hard to draw a foul and a trip to the line. He buried an open trey in the corner.

When the first quarter had ended, Bremer had a team-high seven points, same as Kidd.

"J.R.'s role on our team is different than Jason Kidd's, so you can't really compare," said Williams, who could be seen pulling Bremer aside after an ill-advised shot in the third quarter. "J.R.'s just going to take shots when he's open, and do what's needed.

"He's a rookie, so he's still learning but eventually he'll get it. Going against Jason Kidd tonight, I think, was good for him. It was a learning experience. Hopefully, come playoff time, he'll be that much more prepared."

Marty Burns covers pro basketball for SI.com. Click here to send Marty a question or comment.

 

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