Will Rajon Rondo be better than Dennis Johnson?

[KG Living Legend]

DJ's 3rd year in the NBA. He put up 15.9 PPG, 4.7 RB, 3.5 Assists and 1.3 steals. I'm really interested what the old timers have to say about this.

[xmuscularghandix]

[xmuscularghandix]

well that didn't work the way i planned.

[Roy Hobbs]

Larry Bird called D.J. "the best I've ever played with".  D.J. is deserving of a spot in the Hall of Fame, and at this stage in his career, Rondo isn't there yet. 

[Dybdal]

Not in my mind but im biased on this subject as DJ is one of my alltime favorit players' and one of the most underrated players in NBA history

[xmuscularghandix]

i think that rondo is defenitly showing that he COULD carve out a place in celtics pg history, everything is up from last year and i don't think that he's reached his potential already. i think rondo will go down as one of our bests and its becuase he's looking to get his teammates looks, then decides as a last resort to go for himself.

[feckless]

DJ when he was in Boston was truly on the down side, athletically, of his career.  When he was with Seattle he was such a great defensive player that he could take over games with his defense.  I truly believe that Dennis got into some 2 guards heads so bad that their careers were shortened.  The backcourt of DJ , Gus "the wizard" Williams and Downtown Freddie Brown was one of my favorite to watch of all times.

Rondo right now is taking over games, at times, with hustle but he isn't close to being the defender that DJ was early in his career.

[JBcat]

I'd say this.  Rondo can be the best PG since DJ but better?  DJ should be in the HOF, was a clutch PG if ever was one, and as one astutely pointed out Bird called him the best player he ever played with.   Rondo is still very much early in his career so I don't think it's really fair to him to ask this question. 

[Sweet17]

I don't think they really played the same style of game. Rajon will have to be compared to guys like Tiny or Gary Payton. The C's kind of used a point forward in Bird and two combo guards in the backcourt. I never really thought of DJ as a real point. I'd say TA is kind of like a poor man's version of DJ..

[thirstyboots18]

To paraphrase Magic, "There will never ever be another Dennis Johnson" who, I believe Magic said, guarded him tougher than anyone in the NBA.  (DJ was my favorite Celtic and my favorite all time NBA player.)

Rajon is definitely carving out his own place in Celtic history, though, and is my pick for "Star of the Future".

[soap07]

The OP said "will"...not "is." Of course right now Rajon isn't, but does he have the potential to be?

[JBcat]

I don't think they really played the same style of game. Rajon will have to be compared to guys like Tiny or Gary Payton. The C's kind of used a point forward in Bird and two combo guards in the backcourt. I never really thought of DJ as a real point. I'd say TA is kind of like a poor man's version of DJ..

Tiny is a much better comparison although those years were hazy for me.  I believe he led the lead in scoring and assists 1 year.  Crazy.   The big difference with GP is that he was a great post up player for a PG.   I don't ever see Rondo posting up players.

[JBcat]

Oh I wanted to mention we have come a long way from saying Rondo equals BJ Armstrong a few weeks ago.  Who said that?   

[kenmaine]

Yeah, B J Armstrong   At the time, I said Rondo was ten times the player BJ was.
But as for DJ, it's really a crime he's not in the Hall of Fame. Fantastic defense and clutch shooter, I don't care what the stats might say.
Rondo does some things DJ couldn't do with the ball, but DJ was bigger, stronger, and a better(or more willing) shooter. As far as running a team, I'll take Rondo- I think people are still underestimating him.
Better?  I think it's too soon to say, but IMO he could be.  How's that for straddling the fence?

[amenhotep04]

In the late 70s Bill Russell said that DJ was the best player in the NBA.  I doubt we will ever say that about Rondo. Rondo has the ability to be a great player, but their styles are so different. 

For the life of me I don't see how people are comparing Tiny with Rondo.  Aside from height and quickness, I don't see much of a connection in their games.