Charles Pierce on Rondo, Kobe, and Celtics V. Lakers

[D.o.s.]

Awesome read from Grantland's best.

He is the only real link left in Boston to the last time the Celtics and Lakers could put a charge in the dead middle of the NBA season, and it was not all that long ago. It was 2007-08, to be precise. Rajon Rondo was a young Celtics point guard with a sackful of swagger on a team full of veterans, and they beat the Lakers and Bryant over six games for Boston’s 17th championship. Two years later, Bryant and the Lakers returned the favor in a seven-game series, and there was history hanging from every moment both times. Friday night, Bryant was still sidelined and Rondo was coming back from a year’s hiatus with a knee injury, but it was on the level of their shared history that Bryant was able to comment on Rondo being named the Celtics captain that very night.

“He’s an *******, just like me,” Bryant said before the game.

“I take that as a compliment,” Rondo said later.

They share something with each other that neither one of them can share with his teammates. They were integral parts of the last Laker teams and the last Celtic teams that could stand in line with the Magic and Larry duels, and the Russell-Chamberlain epics before that. For good or ill, they are what’s left of recent history that seems ever receding.

http://grantland.com/features/the-way-we-were/

[indeedproceed]

Yesterday....all our rivalries seemed so easy to play...now the playoffs are just miles away, oh I believe...in yesterday..

Suddenly...we're not half the team we used to be...there's a tank cloud hanging ov-er me...oh mediocrity, came suddenly...

[ssspence]

Love the Kobe / Rondo quotes. Well said, boys.

[kozlodoev]

Fluff piece stating the obvious. Par for most of what Grantland has to offer.

[D.o.s.]

Not Hot Sports Take-y enough for you?

Or was it the lack of Hollingetrics?

Did the story need more win shares?

[sunnyd656]

Yesterday....all our rivalries seemed so easy to play...now the playoffs are just miles away, oh I believe...in yesterday..

Suddenly...we're not half the team we used to be...there's a tank cloud hanging ov-er me...oh mediocrity, came suddenly...

A+ would read again. 30 seconds to Boston.

[LarBrd33]

Awesome read from Grantland's best.

He is the only real link left in Boston to the last time the Celtics and Lakers could put a charge in the dead middle of the NBA season, and it was not all that long ago. It was 2007-08, to be precise. Rajon Rondo was a young Celtics point guard with a sackful of swagger on a team full of veterans, and they beat the Lakers and Bryant over six games for Boston’s 17th championship. Two years later, Bryant and the Lakers returned the favor in a seven-game series, and there was history hanging from every moment both times. Friday night, Bryant was still sidelined and Rondo was coming back from a year’s hiatus with a knee injury, but it was on the level of their shared history that Bryant was able to comment on Rondo being named the Celtics captain that very night.

“He’s an *******, just like me,” Bryant said before the game.

“I take that as a compliment,” Rondo said later.

They share something with each other that neither one of them can share with his teammates. They were integral parts of the last Laker teams and the last Celtic teams that could stand in line with the Magic and Larry duels, and the Russell-Chamberlain epics before that. For good or ill, they are what’s left of recent history that seems ever receding.

http://grantland.com/features/the-way-we-were/

Yeah... another thing Kobe and Rondo have in common is that they both rode on the shoulders of an elite big man to a championship.   Kobe's played that trick 5 times. 

[More Banners]

Awesome read from Grantland's best.

He is the only real link left in Boston to the last time the Celtics and Lakers could put a charge in the dead middle of the NBA season, and it was not all that long ago. It was 2007-08, to be precise. Rajon Rondo was a young Celtics point guard with a sackful of swagger on a team full of veterans, and they beat the Lakers and Bryant over six games for Boston’s 17th championship. Two years later, Bryant and the Lakers returned the favor in a seven-game series, and there was history hanging from every moment both times. Friday night, Bryant was still sidelined and Rondo was coming back from a year’s hiatus with a knee injury, but it was on the level of their shared history that Bryant was able to comment on Rondo being named the Celtics captain that very night.

“He’s an *******, just like me,” Bryant said before the game.

“I take that as a compliment,” Rondo said later.

They share something with each other that neither one of them can share with his teammates. They were integral parts of the last Laker teams and the last Celtic teams that could stand in line with the Magic and Larry duels, and the Russell-Chamberlain epics before that. For good or ill, they are what’s left of recent history that seems ever receding.

http://grantland.com/features/the-way-we-were/

Yeah... another thing Kobe and Rondo have in common is that they both rode on the shoulders of an elite big man to a championship.   Kobe's played that trick 5 times.

Pretty tough to win the chip without a big. Pretty rare for guards to win on their own.

[kozlodoev]

Not Hot Sports Take-y enough for you?

Or was it the lack of Hollingetrics?

Did the story need more win shares?

The story needed more substance. If I want to feel warm and fuzzy inside, I'd much rather prefer a cup of strong black tea.

[Onslaught]

Awesome read from Grantland's best.

He is the only real link left in Boston to the last time the Celtics and Lakers could put a charge in the dead middle of the NBA season, and it was not all that long ago. It was 2007-08, to be precise. Rajon Rondo was a young Celtics point guard with a sackful of swagger on a team full of veterans, and they beat the Lakers and Bryant over six games for Boston’s 17th championship. Two years later, Bryant and the Lakers returned the favor in a seven-game series, and there was history hanging from every moment both times. Friday night, Bryant was still sidelined and Rondo was coming back from a year’s hiatus with a knee injury, but it was on the level of their shared history that Bryant was able to comment on Rondo being named the Celtics captain that very night.

“He’s an *******, just like me,” Bryant said before the game.

“I take that as a compliment,” Rondo said later.

They share something with each other that neither one of them can share with his teammates. They were integral parts of the last Laker teams and the last Celtic teams that could stand in line with the Magic and Larry duels, and the Russell-Chamberlain epics before that. For good or ill, they are what’s left of recent history that seems ever receding.

http://grantland.com/features/the-way-we-were/

Yeah... another thing Kobe and Rondo have in common is that they both rode on the shoulders of an elite big man to a championship.   Kobe's played that trick 5 times.

And our elite big man rode the shoulders of Paul Pierce many times in the playoffs to get his championship.