Avery Bradley

Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley sits for a media spot during Celtics basketball team media day in Waltham, Mass., Monday, Sept. 29, 2014.

(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

WALTHAM – Last season, Avery Bradley bounced back from a rough shooting year, set a career high in scoring, extended his range to above-the-break threes, and reestablished his potential as a two-way player.

The guard still needs to diversify his game and add a more creative off-the-dribble element, but – even in a bigger role than he probably deserved – has taken steps toward becoming a more efficient scorer.

Not that he's worried primarily about his offense.

“I’m a defensive player first,” Bradley said before Thursday's practice. “I let everything else come. I know my team needs me to guard the best offensive player every single night, and so that’s what I’m willing to do. That’s my main focus really. I don’t worry about the offensive end. All that will come.”

After signing a big contract, Bradley sounds a lot like the defense-loving dude he’s always been.

“That’s my main goal: I want to be on the (All-Defensive) first team,” he said. “I made the second team two years ago. That’s my No. 1 goal this year. But obviously I want to improve in every part of my game.”

The good thing about individual defense goals: They typically mesh with a team’s goals. Shooting for an All-Star berth might result in jacking too many shots and foregoing the extra pass. Shooting for an All-Defensive nod means staying in great shape, getting down in a stance, and sacrificing whatever’s necessary to stop an opponent from scoring.

I guess players can provide selfish defense – like centers who contest shots by making ill-advised dashes out of position. But, said Bradley, “I know that my team defense can continue to improve, and that’s what I’m going to do this year.”

Brad Stevens had a “long talk” with Bradley before Thursday’s practice. The Celtics want their guards to defend more aggressively to take advantage of perimeter athleticism; you can probably guess which player has been chosen to lead the charge.

“A lot of people can score. A lot of people can handle it. A lot of people can make plays with the ball,” Stevens said. “Very few people can do those things and change the energy of a game with their intensity level. That’s a hard thing to do day-to-day, practice to practice. You need (Bradley) to do it 82 times. But at the end of the day, I think he’s different because of that.”

Additional practice notes: Vitor Faverani was initially called out of Wednesday's practice, but actually participated on a limited basis after undergoing an MRI on his left knee. He was allowed to practice for up to 40 minutes Thursday, according to Stevens. ... Rajon Rondo (broken bone in hand) was the only player scheduled to miss Thursday's practice. Joel Anthony, who still hasn't been given the full green light after suffering an offseason groin injury, was limited. He has participated in most drills, but not the scrimmage portions.