The ONE thing that bothers me about Rondo

[pearljammer10]

Before I start this post, I'd just like to say... I am the biggest Rondo fan out there. I absolutely love this kid to death, and I wouldn't trade him for any PG in the league.

However, there is one thing that gives me a little unsettling feeling every time he has the ball... And I'm not even talking about his jumpshot. Rondo is clearly chasing assists, and not points, which is something I don't have a problem with. Setting up teammates for the easy buckets has been working out beautifully for us... BUT every game I can't help but notice him pass up at least 3-4 easy shots near the rim (this usually ends up into a broken play/turnover). At what point does Rondo have to back off assisting, and start scoring, in order to improve the overall efficiency of our offense?

I wouldn't even be bringing this topic up if I didn't think he was capable of dropping 20+ a game... but we all saw the playoffs last year when he had explosive performances (scoring-wise) against top tier teams in the league, so we know it's in him! We all know he's the leader that took us to the finals last year, and although he's having a great season right now, I guess I just feel he is not at full potential.

For the record, I'm not saying he should go out of his way to try and score 20+ a game. I'm just saying that I feel the team's overall efficiency,dominance, & success would improve if Rondo looked to score just a little bit more.

We are 20 and 4.... Rondo is leading the team not only in just plain leadership but assists and your complaining that hes led the team to a 20 and 4 record? Absurd.

[pearljammer10]

Plus Rondo had 10 points last night... Its not like he is stagnant on offense or doesnt know what to do. He doesnt need to score to change the game or make an impact so why change the way he plays now?

[nba is the worst]

I'm a lot more worried about his ft line issues than "chasing assists"...

[democritic]

I think the problem the OP mentions is a valid one but it is a good problem to have. This is something that Rondo is mostly guilty of but it is also a Celtic problem.

The second most guilty perpetrator is KG. I often see KG with an open look at the basket, and Shaq or Baby recognize it and move into position to take the rebound if he misses, and then a pass bounces off their elbow.

The team has a tendency to overpass. Players turn down open shots for more open shots, and occasionally for less open shots. Not being able to know if someone is going to shoot or try to squeak a pass to you can disrupt the game as well as cause turnovers. Turnovers have always been a problem for the Celtics, and it's due to the unselfish nature of the team.

Still, it's a good problem to have. I'd rather have a team that overpasses than underpasses. It's frustrating to see an open layup passed out of to a contested layup or jumper, but the team is winning. Rondo keeps the players bought into the offense. Players know their spots and they've learned that they need to always be ready for a pass.

[guava_wrench]

Before I start this post, I'd just like to say... I am the biggest Rondo fan out there. I absolutely love this kid to death, and I wouldn't trade him for any PG in the league.

However, there is one thing that gives me a little unsettling feeling every time he has the ball... And I'm not even talking about his jumpshot. Rondo is clearly chasing assists, and not points, which is something I don't have a problem with. Setting up teammates for the easy buckets has been working out beautifully for us... BUT every game I can't help but notice him pass up at least 3-4 easy shots near the rim (this usually ends up into a broken play/turnover). At what point does Rondo have to back off assisting, and start scoring, in order to improve the overall efficiency of our offense?

I wouldn't even be bringing this topic up if I didn't think he was capable of dropping 20+ a game... but we all saw the playoffs last year when he had explosive performances (scoring-wise) against top tier teams in the league, so we know it's in him! We all know he's the leader that took us to the finals last year, and although he's having a great season right now, I guess I just feel he is not at full potential.

For the record, I'm not saying he should go out of his way to try and score 20+ a game. I'm just saying that I feel the team's overall efficiency,dominance, & success would improve if Rondo looked to score just a little bit more.

We are 20 and 4.... Rondo is leading the team not only in just plain leadership but assists and your complaining that hes led the team to a 20 and 4 record? Absurd.

But the original poster is correct. Look at how p---ed Doc was. That first layup he didn't take was unacceptable. That was point blank and no defender had a chance to block a shot off the backboard. It was even on the right side and he is a right-handed shooter.

He can't just be a great passer. He has to be a great decision maker. Other teams will also ignore him during the season. The more he plays like last night, the more frequently players will ignore him without the ball and double team other players.

I'm not sure I remember him passing on open layups to that extent during other games though.

Passing on an open layup is not an unselfish thing to do. It is absurd for us to call passing on a layup after a teammate passes to you under the hoop an unselfish action. It is either poor decision making or a lack of confidence. Hopefully it isn't Rondo trying to pad assist totals.

Fortunately, KG does this less than he did in 2008. Perhaps it is due to him handling the ball less in the post, not that Rondo does most of the ball handling.

[housecall]

Before I start this post, I'd just like to say... I am the biggest Rondo fan out there. I absolutely love this kid to death, and I wouldn't trade him for any PG in the league.

However, there is one thing that gives me a little unsettling feeling every time he has the ball... And I'm not even talking about his jumpshot. Rondo is clearly chasing assists, and not points, which is something I don't have a problem with. Setting up teammates for the easy buckets has been working out beautifully for us... BUT every game I can't help but notice him pass up at least 3-4 easy shots near the rim (this usually ends up into a broken play/turnover). At what point does Rondo have to back off assisting, and start scoring, in order to improve the overall efficiency of our offense?

I wouldn't even be bringing this topic up if I didn't think he was capable of dropping 20+ a game... but we all saw the playoffs last year when he had explosive performances (scoring-wise) against top tier teams in the league, so we know it's in him! We all know he's the leader that took us to the finals last year, and although he's having a great season right now, I guess I just feel he is not at full potential.

For the record, I'm not saying he should go out of his way to try and score 20+ a game. I'm just saying that I feel the team's overall efficiency,dominance, & success would improve if Rondo looked to score just a little bit more.

By the way have you got Rondo on one of your fantasy teams?

[Fan from VT]

Rondo't still a major net-plus, but I do often agree with the O.P.
I think it's weird how we've constructed assists to mean unselfish and scoring to mean selfish, even though by definition you need a scorer to have an assist.

Being a point guard leader is not about being selfish or unselfish, it's about making right decisions vs. wrong decisions. Shooting isn't selfish or unselfish, it's either the best play for your team at that time or it's not; and best play means that play will result in the most likely maximal points for that possession. The point guard, in this case Rondo, needs to work on recognizing when his shooting is the best odds play for success on that possession. Every pass is a chance for a turnover, an improved shot for someone else, a lesser shot for someone else, or an equal shot for someone else. If he's already got a layup, that's pretty much the best play there is, and it doesn't make sense to risk a turnover with a pass just to end up with an equal or lesser shot for a teammate. That's not unselfish, it's the wrong decision. He's got room for improvement.

[crafty213]

I agree. He needs to score more and stop chasin the assists. He also needs to limit his turnovers. He has commonly has 5-6 a game... that's way too high.

He is 5th best in assist/TO ratio so I do not see this as an issue.  In terms of scoring there may be times when he should be more aggressive if others are struggling but as a whole it does not happen often and the benefits to keeping everyone else involved far outweigh the negatives of him being a bit too passive. 

[celts55]

I've seen Rondo take a bunch of lay ups when he's been open under the basket, so I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt That is leg or legs were bothering him. Maybe he couldn't turn well ot jump? I don't know, but while you couldn't help but notice it last night, I haven't seen him do that too often before.

[Chief]

I know exactly what you are saying about Rondo. I love him, but he over passes a bit. Having said that, I can live with it. Like I can live with:

Paul killing the team offense for isolation plays

Ray not giving it to Rondo on the break

Marquis not improving his 3 point shot

KG not posting enough

Big Baby not finishing with dunks

Nate shooting another three to see if he's on fire

[rohanzsta]

Before I start this post, I'd just like to say... I am the biggest Rondo fan out there. I absolutely love this kid to death, and I wouldn't trade him for any PG in the league.

However, there is one thing that gives me a little unsettling feeling every time he has the ball... And I'm not even talking about his jumpshot. Rondo is clearly chasing assists, and not points, which is something I don't have a problem with. Setting up teammates for the easy buckets has been working out beautifully for us... BUT every game I can't help but notice him pass up at least 3-4 easy shots near the rim (this usually ends up into a broken play/turnover). At what point does Rondo have to back off assisting, and start scoring, in order to improve the overall efficiency of our offense?

I wouldn't even be bringing this topic up if I didn't think he was capable of dropping 20+ a game... but we all saw the playoffs last year when he had explosive performances (scoring-wise) against top tier teams in the league, so we know it's in him! We all know he's the leader that took us to the finals last year, and although he's having a great season right now, I guess I just feel he is not at full potential.

For the record, I'm not saying he should go out of his way to try and score 20+ a game. I'm just saying that I feel the team's overall efficiency,dominance, & success would improve if Rondo looked to score just a little bit more.

By the way have you got Rondo on one of your fantasy teams?

nah, but i wish i did... i could really use the assists lol

[Neurotic Guy]

I do think that Rondo gets into scoring and non-scoring modes.   I think it just speaks to how great he will be when he'll be even less predictable than he is now and will always takes whatever the D is giving him (especially as his confidence grows in his 15 footer).  He's pretty darn good now -- he could be the best in the future.

[hpantazo]

I'm a lot more worried about his ft line issues than "chasing assists"...

well I think this is the main reason he passes up shots. It's not because of chasing assist stats, it's fear of the FT line, and it hurt us in the finals last year. It won't go away until he improves his FT percentage.

[BballTim]

I'm a lot more worried about his ft line issues than "chasing assists"...

well I think this is the main reason he passes up shots. It's not because of chasing assist stats, it's fear of the FT line, and it hurt us in the finals last year. It won't go away until he improves his FT percentage.

  I think it's more that he could draw more contact when he shoots than he avoids shooting. He averaged 14 shots a game in the finals last year, about the same as he averaged for the rest of the playoffs and about 3 shots a game more than his season average.

[tenn_smoothie]

BUT every game I can't help but notice him pass up at least 3-4 easy shots near the rim (this usually ends up into a broken play/turnover).

really good observation - i have noticed the same thing. sometimes it's almost blatant and i think, "well, i couldn't tell the angle of the defender the way Rondo can because i am watching on tv" so i figure he must have made the pass to avoid having his shot blocked. but given that Rondo seems to be able to dunk on power forwards when he has the opportunity, i'm not sure he is too worried about getting his shot blocked.


he has turned some nice penetrations or break opportunities into disasters by overpassing & overdribbling - just play the game straight Rondo !!!