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Rajon Rondo is a fantastic basketball player. Since coming into the league, he's helped lead the Celtics to a championship and assumed a leadership role on a team full of experienced veterans. He is arguably the best passer in the NBA. Like all the greats, he predicts what his teammates and defenders will do and where they'll be before they get there. He finds the right angles and executes highly difficult passes to give teammates easy scoring oppurtunites. He has been a great off-ball defender, reading passing lanes and coming up with clutch steals. For these reasons alone, he has the ability to be one of the best players in the NBA.
However, Rondo isn't as great as he could be. He's not a good perimeter jump shooter or free throw shooter, but he's worked very hard and has made great strides to improve in those areas. He actually has mid-range ability now, something he didn't have three or four years ago. He's shown moments of tremendous scoring ability, but he seems to pick and choose at times when these outbursts will happen. For a team that has struggled to create offense in the half court with an aging group of stars, Rondo hasn't picked up the slack like I know he's capable of. For such a great play-maker, it's almost unfathomable that this team can't score effectively. It's in part because of the roster and style of play in place, but I think Rondo deserves some of the blame.
Although much of that is the same this year, complacency, fatigue, and possibly even laziness have taken a hold of this team at times. Thankfully, Avery Bradley's recent return has really solidified their backcourt defense. Bradley and Courtney Lee are two terrifying perimeter defenders who should shut down almost any guards they match up against. Although Rondo is perceived by many as a shutdown defensive point guard, he's really digressed recently and is more of a selective defender. On many occasions, he slacks off on his man and monitors passing lanes, looking for the quick steal instead playing his man straight up. This leaves the player he's defending to roam around in open space or even shoot wide open jump shots because Rondo's backed off so much. He also over-commits on rotations, leaving his man to cut easily to the basket or take an uncontested mid-range jumper. For all the good Rondo does on offense in finding space and creating plays for others, he takes away by playing lazy defense on the other end. Losing Rondo for the rest of the season to an ACL injury is terrible, unquestionably, but I think this Celtics team's defense (and possibly offense) will improve with Rondo out of the lineup.
As many have reported and speculated, Rondo is a punk when he wants to be. He pouts and complains. He gets in fights (verbally or physically) with Doc Rivers, other coaches, referees, teammates, and opposing players. His effort level is never consistent and he visibly plays better in nationally televised games (20 of his 27 triple double performances happened on national TV). Ray Allen may have even decided to leave for Miami in part because of his deteriorating relationship with Rondo. These all too frequent confrontations and incidents have lead to suspensions and tremendous media scrutiny. For someone who is supposed to be the best player on the Celtics, why does he act so immaturely and inconsistently?
I really hope this injury will humble him and readjust his focus. Like I predicted in my previous post, I think the Celtics will actually improve in his absence and win more games. If Rondo sees how well they play without him, maybe he'll be motivated to come back stronger than ever and prove doubters (like myself) wrong. I love Rondo, but I'm honestly looking forward to watching the Celtics without him.
However, Rondo isn't as great as he could be. He's not a good perimeter jump shooter or free throw shooter, but he's worked very hard and has made great strides to improve in those areas. He actually has mid-range ability now, something he didn't have three or four years ago. He's shown moments of tremendous scoring ability, but he seems to pick and choose at times when these outbursts will happen. For a team that has struggled to create offense in the half court with an aging group of stars, Rondo hasn't picked up the slack like I know he's capable of. For such a great play-maker, it's almost unfathomable that this team can't score effectively. It's in part because of the roster and style of play in place, but I think Rondo deserves some of the blame.
Although much of that is the same this year, complacency, fatigue, and possibly even laziness have taken a hold of this team at times. Thankfully, Avery Bradley's recent return has really solidified their backcourt defense. Bradley and Courtney Lee are two terrifying perimeter defenders who should shut down almost any guards they match up against. Although Rondo is perceived by many as a shutdown defensive point guard, he's really digressed recently and is more of a selective defender. On many occasions, he slacks off on his man and monitors passing lanes, looking for the quick steal instead playing his man straight up. This leaves the player he's defending to roam around in open space or even shoot wide open jump shots because Rondo's backed off so much. He also over-commits on rotations, leaving his man to cut easily to the basket or take an uncontested mid-range jumper. For all the good Rondo does on offense in finding space and creating plays for others, he takes away by playing lazy defense on the other end. Losing Rondo for the rest of the season to an ACL injury is terrible, unquestionably, but I think this Celtics team's defense (and possibly offense) will improve with Rondo out of the lineup.
As many have reported and speculated, Rondo is a punk when he wants to be. He pouts and complains. He gets in fights (verbally or physically) with Doc Rivers, other coaches, referees, teammates, and opposing players. His effort level is never consistent and he visibly plays better in nationally televised games (20 of his 27 triple double performances happened on national TV). Ray Allen may have even decided to leave for Miami in part because of his deteriorating relationship with Rondo. These all too frequent confrontations and incidents have lead to suspensions and tremendous media scrutiny. For someone who is supposed to be the best player on the Celtics, why does he act so immaturely and inconsistently?
I really hope this injury will humble him and readjust his focus. Like I predicted in my previous post, I think the Celtics will actually improve in his absence and win more games. If Rondo sees how well they play without him, maybe he'll be motivated to come back stronger than ever and prove doubters (like myself) wrong. I love Rondo, but I'm honestly looking forward to watching the Celtics without him.
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