Donovan Mitchell Lists Celtics Past and Present as His Toughest Defenders

Rob Greene | Sep 11, 2024

Jan 16, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) and LA Clippers guard Avery Bradley (11) chase a loose ball during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Boston Celtics

Donovan Mitchell and Jeff Teague discussed the best defenders they have faced on the Club 520 Podcast. While the episode features a great mix of insight and entertainment, fair warning, it also includes the use of explicit language.

“I’d probably say Jrue Holiday, Jrue Holiday for sure,” Mitchell said.

The perennial all-NBA guard also shouted out a former Boston Celtics premier defender that helped their uprise after the end of an era led by the franchise's modern Big 3 with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen, which became a Big 4 with Rajon Rondo.

“You know who else is up there too? Avery Bradley," said Mitchell. "When he was in Detroit…"

Teague interrupted him with praise of his own for Bradley.

“C’mon man, I’m still having nightmares,” Teague added of the former Celtics All-Defensive guard.

Reflecting on his own nightmares from facing Bradley, Mitchell harkened back to the start of his career with the Utah Jazz.

“I ain’t gonna lie, this is a true story, Avery retired, right? He done? Alright so I can say this,” he quickly stated. “We playing in Detroit, and there’s probably film on this too. I’m the point guard at the time, my ball-handling really ain’t like that, I had to stop bringing the ball up the court, because he was on the floor, I had to stop.”

Noting how unfamiliar the feeling was at the time, Mitchell shared, “I don’t think that ever, I’ve never felt that way with anybody else in the league, so I gotta give it to Avery."

Teague interrupted and let it be known how he had the same story and similar moments that happened to him with Bradley.

“Once you get to half court, like, you know the half court line, he gets you, you ain’t going nowhere,” Mitchell said. “Like he quick, he strong, but I would say probably Avery Bradley, for sure.”

Their conversation captures how Bradley is one of the more underrated defenders of the last decade or so.

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