Rondo owns up to celtics problems

[hpantazo]

Nice article in the globe today with some insightful quotes from Rondo. I'm glad to see him man up and take blame, even if I believe it's not all his fault:


http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2011/03/30/problematic_celtics_need_to_be_answerable/?p1=Well_Sports_links


“It starts with me,’’ he said. “It starts with the pick-and-roll up top. So regardless if we score, the last five minutes of the game we’ve got to find a way to get stops.’’

The Celtics have given up at least 40 points in the paint six times this month. On Monday, Roy Hibbert stomped all through the paint, scoring 26 of Indiana’s 42 points there.

“It’s not just Hibbert, it’s dribble penetration,’’ Rondo said after the game. “And it’s not just today. A lot of teams have been dominating us in the paint as far as offensive rebounds.

“It’s not just the bigs but guards have to crack back on the rebounding. Right now, a lot of teams are living in the paint. That’s something we usually don’t allow.’’

[vinnie]

this is the biggest problem. The Celtics have given up at least 40 points in the paint six times this month. On Monday, Roy Hibbert stomped all through the paint, scoring 26 of Indiana’s 42 points there.

If Sahq and JO can't come back and fix this, there is no chance.

[SamuelAdams]

Nice article in the globe today with some insightful quotes from Rondo. I'm glad to see him man up and take blame, even if I believe it's not all his fault:


http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2011/03/30/problematic_celtics_need_to_be_answerable/?p1=Well_Sports_links


“It starts with me,’’ he said. “It starts with the pick-and-roll up top. So regardless if we score, the last five minutes of the game we’ve got to find a way to get stops.’’

The Celtics have given up at least 40 points in the paint six times this month. On Monday, Roy Hibbert stomped all through the paint, scoring 26 of Indiana’s 42 points there.

“It’s not just Hibbert, it’s dribble penetration,’’ Rondo said after the game. “And it’s not just today. A lot of teams have been dominating us in the paint as far as offensive rebounds.

“It’s not just the bigs but guards have to crack back on the rebounding. Right now, a lot of teams are living in the paint. That’s something we usually don’t allow.’’

Yup, isn't this why we think the Heat can't win it all. Not big enough inside?

[Fafnir]

hurray for pay/registration walls along with bad links that don't work properly  

It might be a very good article, but the globe doesn't want me to read it.

[BballTim]

hurray for pay/registration walls along with bad links that don't work properly  

It might be a very good article, but the globe doesn't want me to read it.

  Unless things just changed you can regster for free and still see the article.

[jsingh1699]

the scoring in the paint is a huge issue. but it makes you wonder

go back to the 08 playoff run. we usually ended games with rondo, allen, pierce, posey, kg. that line is much weaker in terms of defending the paint than the curent ending group (bbd instead of posey). how were we so successful in that run? my guess is because we got lucky and played a bunch of soft perimeter teams.

[Fafnir]

the scoring in the paint is a huge issue. but it makes you wonder

go back to the 08 playoff run. we usually ended games with rondo, allen, pierce, posey, kg. that line is much weaker in terms of defending the paint than the curent ending group (bbd instead of posey). how were we so successful in that run? my guess is because we got lucky and played a bunch of soft perimeter teams.

The title team was a better offensive team than the 2010-2011 squad, it was also a better defensive team in terms of separation from rest of the league and absolute terms.

[MBunge]

I'm sorry, but defense has not been the Celtics' problem.  Yes, they've had trouble getting stops at the end of games but if you let every frickin' game come down to the final few possessions, especially when you're behind and need to shut out your opponent for 4 or 5 trips down the floor, even the best defensive teams are going to struggle.

The problem with Boston is what appears to be their OCD on offense.  This team just seems to get fixated on doing certain things offensively, like constantly posting up Big Baby in the Minnesota game even after it's clear that it wasn't working.  

Or take Nenad.  Yeah, he's not the defensive force Perk is, but he's a better scorer than Perk could ever hope to be.  Yet, how many times in the last 10 games hase the team given him the ball in the post or run a pick-n-pop with Allen and Nenad or Pierce and Nenad?

Mike

[Interceptor]

this is the biggest problem.

Numbers don't support this assertion, we're still on top of the league defensively.  Offense is this team's problem at the moment.

EDIT:  agreed and TP @MBunge

[ScoobyDoo]

We had a post on this a while back - people arguing about Rondo's defense or lack there of. Some people said he was just getting picked off by screens, etc.I think it was the Clipper's game where Mo Williams made Rondo look like a Juco defender.

Bottom line - Rondo has the athletic ability to make picks almost non-existent. It's all about effort and Rondo can be one "uber-lazy defender" when he's not into it. If he exercises fundamental 101 defense with heart and aggressiveness he has the ability to nearly disrupt the other team's offense all by himself.

It's up to him. As he said as well, other perimeter guys need to lock down dribble drive penetration as well. The, we add in the O'neal's - hopefully - and people will start forgetting about this recent slide.

Well, forget about it, except for the fact that we gave up HCA to the Bulls and Lakers during out apathetic nose dive of late. I guarantee that will come back to bite us, most likely in another game seven in LA.

Our offense will also get much better with the two big guys back.

   

[PosImpos]

I'm sorry, but defense has not been the Celtics' problem.  Yes, they've had trouble getting stops at the end of games but if you let every frickin' game come down to the final few possessions, especially when you're behind and need to shut out your opponent for 4 or 5 trips down the floor, even the best defensive teams are going to struggle.

The problem with Boston is what appears to be their OCD on offense.  This team just seems to get fixated on doing certain things offensively, like constantly posting up Big Baby in the Minnesota game even after it's clear that it wasn't working. 

Or take Nenad.  Yeah, he's not the defensive force Perk is, but he's a better scorer than Perk could ever hope to be.  Yet, how many times in the last 10 games hase the team given him the ball in the post or run a pick-n-pop with Allen and Nenad or Pierce and Nenad?

Mike

agree.  our total lack of an inside presence on offense is making it very difficult to maintain a flowing inside-out offense.  this has an effect on our defense late in games, too, since it places a lot more pressure on our wing players to prevent penetration since they don't have guys backing them up.

[ben_from_boston]

We had a post on this a while back - people arguing about Rondo's defense or lack there of. Some people said he was just getting picked off by screens, etc.I think it was the Clipper's game where Mo Williams made Rondo look like a Juco defender.

Bottom line - Rondo has the athletic ability to make picks almost non-existent. It's all about effort and Rondo can be one "uber-lazy defender" when he's not into it. If he exercises fundamental 101 defense with heart and aggressiveness he has the ability to nearly disrupt the other team's offense all by himself.

It's up to him. As he said as well, other perimeter guys need to lock down dribble drive penetration as well. The, we add in the O'neal's - hopefully - and people will start forgetting about this recent slide.

Well, forget about it, except for the fact that we gave up HCA to the Bulls and Lakers during out apathetic nose dive of late. I guarantee that will come back to bite us, most likely in another game seven in LA.

Our offense will also get much better with the two big guys back.

   

Nice post. Totally agree.

[bbd24]

I think its a lot simpler than people are making it.  Rondo has flat out struggled in 3 areas from what I've seen.  None of them even start with oustide shooting.

1) Aggresiveness - He's just passive out there.  Not sure if its injury, or what it is.  When he's not his aggressive self, the offense falters, his assists go down, and his scoring is non existent.  He was more aggressive at times the last game out.

2) Shot clock -  Tommy pointed this out the other night, and its been consistent throughout the last 10 or so games.  Rondo is holding the ball way too long, almost down to the 10-14 minute mark on the clock without anything happening.  Not good.  Can't keep starting your offense at the 12 min mark.

3) Dribble penetration - He points this out in the article above.  He lets his man get into the lane time and time again, putting a ton of pressure on KG, Krstic, or BBD to cover it, or get a foul because of it.  This puts are bigs in a terrible defensive spot game in and game out.  Not only are they covering their man, or trying to, they have to stop ball because of his defense.

[cman88]

hopefully the rondo we saw against indiana is the one we'll see the rest of the season. he can get to the basket and throw up a layup at EASE which also opens up ray, kg, pierce as the defense collapses on him....when hes just standing around the celtics offense doesnt move...

alot of people bring up our lack of an agressive center. BUT, dont forget we played alot of the season with Semih erden starting...and I dont think anyone would say hes an agressive center..its a lack of effort on all the starters parts and hopefully they get outta this slump soon

[mgent]

I love that Rondo knows he has to step up more on defense but his inconsistency on offense has hurt us just as much.