Stats are great but have to be taken in context.
1. Rondo has hardly played with the best defensive player in the league this year. When Avery Bradley was added to last year's starting team, they became the best defensive team since the 2007-08 Celtics. Bradley was not playing with Rondo for most of that pre-injury record. Bradley might be playing his best ball as a Celtic right now.
2. People mention movement when they mention the difference in the offense pre- and post Rondo's injury. Think about that for a moment. If players were getting off on fast breaks with Rondo and moving around more in the half court when Rondo was around, do you think the Celtics record would have been what it was prior to his injury?
3. The Celtics have had starts of seasons when they are unbeatable and they have had starts when they sputtered along until something clicked in they play great. With Pierce and Terry fighting through nagging injuries, with no Bradley, with Green and Wilcox overcoming heart surgery operations and with Lee, Green, Terry, Barbosa, Wilcox, Darko, and the rookies all trying to figure out their roles, this wasn't going to be a year where they started off unbeatable.
Yes, I think a definite line of demarcation can be drawn around the time Rondo got injured(though I think around Bradley's return would be better) where this team's performance changed and several players suddenly saw the quality of their effort, their performance, and their knowledge of what they were doing increase and make the team as a whole play like the contender everyone thought it was going to be before the season started.
Unfortunately regular season wins and winning 4 games out of seven games to the same team as they game plan your players much more individually are two different things. We couldn't beat Miami without Bradley last year, We certainly aren't beating them without Rondo, Sully and Barbosa.
I recall a number of early games in the season where someone would run out on a break and Rondo wouldn't get them ball but would rather bring it up himself. A player only runs out so many times before he determines it is a wasted effort and doesn't do it. when Rondo was on the team there wasn't nearly the ball movement. It was about Rondo dribbling around till someone got open and Rondo could get a pass in an assist situation. Without Rondo, the ball just moves around a lot more and when someone is open the shot comes. I certainly think Rondo could fit fine in that type of system, but he just hasn't play that way. If he can't adapt he needs to be traded.
And seriously what does it say that the team can lose its best player and add its 5th best player and get better on both ends of the floor. That is much more a knock on Rondo than a positive to Bradley.
But our offense isn't much different. You say it's better but it's basically the same.
Individual players are just shooting better or in Green's case especially, playing better.
The defense has improved but that is a credit to Avery Bradley.
I contend they are shooting better because of the ball movement. They are getting better shots in situations that are more suited for their skill sets.
And again, how can you lose your best player a guy who is a multiple time all league defender and improve your defense. That shouldn't happen and is a huge knock on Rondo.
It's been pointed out to you a few times already, but your second paragraph is absolutely false. Our defense improved with the return of Avery Bradley, but it has not improved more since Rondo got injured.
According to the numbers at Basketball reference, our Defensive Rating (estimated points per 100 possessions) is at 102.2 for the season.
In the twelve games that Rondo and Bradley started together, the team's Defensive Rating was 100.0
In the sixteen games since Rondo has been injured, the team's Defensive Rating has been at 100.0
Based on those numbers, it would appear that our defensive improvement is absolutely a positive statement on Avery Bradley's defense and not a knock on Rondo's.
How can you lose a 1st team league defender and not get worse, though? I mean seriously if it doesn't matter if Rondo plays on either end of the floor, then why shouldn't Boston trade him? The stats show he has absolutely no positive impact on Boston's offense or its defense. Clearly that shows we should just trade him and move on.
If Rondo is such a non factor on either end of the floor, how are we supposed to get any sort of quality return for him? Especially coming off of knee injury. What GM worth his salt would give up anything of value in either picks, young assets, or quality size for a guard coming off an injury who apparently has no impact on his team's success? And if thats the case he is well overpaid for what he produces.
You can't have it both ways saying that Rondo doesn't add significant value to this team and at the same time say we should to move him for valuable assets. It's one or the other.
See coachbo's post below yours for my explanation as to why trading Rondo would make sense and why a trade where Boston gets good return would be feasible.
I think there were a number of trades at the deadline involving the Hawks that would have made sense for Rondo. Lou Williams and Jeff Teague straight up would have made a lot of sense if Atlanta wanted to keep Smith that would have been a good way to help entice him to stay. A 3-way trade with Phoenix, Atlanta, and Boston where Boston essentially traded rondo, lee, terry, and bass for lou williams, teague, dudley, and beasley would have made a lot of sense for the 3 teams involved (dragic, gortat, and smith were also in the trade).
I think this summer there will be options out there where Boston trades Rondo to a team for a lottery pick in the draft and some other pieces if there is someone Ainge really likes. Orlando and New Orleans seem like places that might want a guy like Rondo to run their teams and they all have the salaries to make a draft day trade work, plus at least one lottery pick and/or recent lottery picks to trade. Charlotte has Kemba Walker and 2 lottery picks, not to mention Gordon's salary. I think a reasonable trade would be Gordon, Walker, and the Blazers pick for Rondo and Sullinger (or something like that).
It is just too bad the Thunder don't have a need for Rondo as they have a lot of draft picks coming their way as a result of the Harden trade.
There will be plenty of trades out there that make sense for the acquiring team and where Boston still gets solid value back. It won't be Rondo the player value, but it won't be chump change either.