Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

During the Brad Stevens era, coaches have attempted to impress on Bradley the importance of becoming a good team defensive player as well as an on-ball, lock-down defender. Sometimes those pleas have fallen on deaf ears, with Bradley convinced that his man-to-man defense is what’s important.

But Bradley credits increased film work for part of the difference now.

“Watching film. I watch so much film,” he said, indicating that in the past this wasn’t the most diligent part of his routine.

“I always knew I could help my team out on defense, but I wanted to become a better team defensive player. I can pick my spots, and it’s helped me get steals as well. It’s a big difference.”

Herald: Bradley’s game takes a new twist

Everyone has been so focused on Bradley as the “lockdown” guy, I guess it’s easy to overlook his deficiencies in overall team defense. I did. Everyone has. Until today, this is the first I’ve read about them.

Sure, we’ve talked this year about how Bradley’s defense has seemingly slipped a peg, but that, again, was his on-ball defense that we know and love him for.

It comes as a bit of a surprise to me to hear that he’s not been as diligent in studying game film of other teams. I would think that’s a mandatory thing for players heading into games… to study other teams’ tendencies to maybe exploit. But apparently Bradley has been focused so much on the on-ball defense, that all the other stuff just didn’t matter as much.

This is the point where I remind everyone that Bradley just turned 24, and that he now entering the age of being a little more open-minded about his game. This is only his 5th year in the league, and now that he’s being looked at as a leader, it’s time for him to recognize what he does and does not do well, and improve them. If nothing else, it sets a tone for the young kids on this team to realize they also need to be open-minded as their careers progress.

His improvement lately has also come on the offensive end.

“He’s in a groove right now shooting the ball,” Celtics forward Jae Crowder said of Bradley. “Other teams are locking into him, and he’s still doing what he does — coming off pin-downs, shooting the ball, and taking great shots and knocking them in. He’s showing a great leadership role.”

It is a small sample size, but Bradley has been brilliant since the All-Star break. In the last three games, his assists-to-turnovers average was 6, up from the 1.1 he averaged in the season’s opening half. His effective field-goal percentage — a metric that gives added weight to 3-pointers — increased from 48.9 to 57.1. Bradley is averaging 23.7 points and 4.3 steals per game since the break.

“I’m just believing in myself,” he said. “My teammates are believing in me right now. I’m just trying to play as hard as I can.

The only deceiving part about Bradley’s offensive game is how streaky he is.  Against Phoenix, he opened up the first quarter shooting 5-5, but then he went 3-9 the rest of the way.  Against the Lakers, he was 3-6 to start the game, then 2-6 in the next two quarters, 3-5 in the fourth to help force OT, then he was 0-3.

My point is that while his overall shooting numbers are ok, we’re generally not seeing many consistent offensive games where Bradley amasses his 20 some-odd points steadily throughout the game. He’s either hot, or he’s not. When Bradley is hot, he can be a lights-out shooter. When he’s not, man, he looks like me shooting out there.

I still like Avery Bradley and I think his contract will ultimately be viewed as a decent one. But I still think his role should be something other than what it is now. Whether he’s a bench guy down the road or the fourth offensive option, what he will be in Boston will be better than what he is now.

Related links:  CSNNE:  Watch & Learn: Bradley improving all around  |  MassLive: Bradley’s new commitment to film study helps Boston Celtics

Page 2:  Derrick Rose can’t catch a goddam break

CHICAGO — Bulls guard Derrick Rose has a torn meniscus in his right knee and will undergo surgery, the team said Tuesday.

Rose reported earlier in the day with right knee pain. An exam and subsequent MRI confirmed the tear.

A timetable for Rose’s return will be determined once he has surgery, the team said. The Bulls and Rose decided to fix the meniscus tear instead of cutting the damaged part out in order to elongate Rose’s career.

The general feeling within the organization from several team personnel on Tuesday night was one of disbelief and sadness after all the rehab work Rose put in over the last two and a half seasons.

ESPN 

You have got to be kidding me.

Since his MVP season in 2011, Rose played 39 games in ’11-’12, missed the entire ’12-’13 season, played 10 games before suffering this exact same injury in the ’13-’14 season, and now he’s played 46 games this year before this news.

So that’s 95 games in four seasons since playing 97 combined regular season and playoff games in 2010-11.

Is there something structurally wrong with his legs that makes this happen? Is he the unluckiest player ever? And how much more of this can a guy take?

Rehab is hard, painful work. He’s gone through a lot of it. At what point does he just take his hundred million dollars and go make sure he can walk normally for the rest of his life?

Just horrible news. Obviously I’d like to see him back and playing like his old self again, but man… this just sucks.

And Finally…

…. Things may not be going well for Rondo in Dallas

Carlisle and Rondo had plenty to say to each other during a tense timeout with 8:10 remaining in the third quarter. The stubborn coach and headstrong point guard exchanged a lot of expletives as they shouted at each other in a dispute stemming from Rondo’s desire to have more play-calling responsibilities.

“Well, it’s an emotional game and we had a difference of opinion,” Carlisle said. “There was an exchange, and then, in my mind, it was over.”

Well, it apparently lasted at least the rest of the game. The evidence: Rondo rode the pine for the final 20:10, a span in which reserve guards Devin Harris and J.J. Barea played key roles in the Mavs’ rally from a nine-point deficit.

This isn’t the first time Carlisle has clashed with an accomplished point guard about relinquishing the majority of the play-calling responsibilities. It was a source of frustration for future Hall of Famer Jason Kidd during Carlisle’s first campaign in Dallas until Carlisle gave Kidd full freedom midway through the season.

ESPN Dallas

Rick Carlisle has had a lot of success calling plays from the sideline. Rajon Rondo, for all his faults, is undeniably good at recognizing things on the floor and finding counterattacks. In fact, it’s when coaches try to take that away from him that things like this happen.

If Dallas wants this thing to work, they’re going to have to come to some kind of agreement. One of these very accomplished, very stubborn guys is going to have to back down and let the other do what he’s always done very well.

I’ve always said that coaches need to coach to their personnel, and not try to smash their personnel over the head with “their way.” It’s why I hate what New York has done with Jackson’s triangle offense on a team clearly not assembled to run that system. And it’s why Carlisle has to back down and let Rondo take the lead if they’re going to get past this.

It may or may not have an impact on whether Rondo wants to stay in Dallas. If he doesn’t, then the Celtics obviously will have made out like bandits on the deal. For Dallas to avoid disaster with this trade, someone over there is going to have to swallow a whole lotta pride, and fast.

Related links: Globe: Rondo ignores Mavs coach Carlisle | CSNNE: Rondo benched after argument with Carlisle | Boston.com: High octane Mavs offense stuck in neutral with Rondo at wheel

The rest of the links:

CSNNE:  Can Thomas lead C’s to playoffs?  |  Crowder shakes off cold fourth to hit big shot  |  ESPN Boston: Crunch time is Thomas time