Do people see pacing as a smart tactic or cowardly move?
I think a big reason KG has been playing so great recently is because after his injury he finally realized that he can't go 100% all the time. He spent the 1st half of the season not forcing himself, and now that he's decided to turn on that switch his legs are still there.
Rondo is the opposite. He's always paced himself but last year he was forced to carry the load and couldn't. His body was breaking down well before getting smashed by Wade (like Rose's does). He's learned to crank up his energy and effort when it matters, but conserve himself when it doesn't (some days he'll coast on offense or defense). I don't see it as a lack of caring, I see it as playing for the long term instead of the short term. He's also setting the tempo for the older guys. I've seen too many courageous acts and hustle plays in the playoffs and big games to question his desire.
The rest of the team feeds off these two guys. When they're low energy, we're flat. When they're high energy we can play with anyone. I fully expect both to be high energy in the playoffs.
Do people see it differently? Do you want it to change?