wow this board [is disappointing]..... (Rondo doesn't deserve criticism)

[Casperian]

Criticism is ok, it's that people are angry with the Celts that kills me.

With the effort they've shown, how can you be mad at them?

Maybe I'm too easy.  I see guys diving all over the floor, playing huge minutes...

No, you´re not too easy. There were some posts in the game-thread that sounded more like hate than disappointment.

[CoachBo]

Bottom line to this discussion is that Rondo still has a bunch of growing up to do, as a player and as a man. Great NBA point guards don't play like he played tonight in a series clincher.

[PosImpos]

Bottom line to this discussion is that Rondo still has a bunch of growing up to do, as a player and as a man. Great NBA point guards don't play like he played tonight in a series clincher.

Yeah, after the way he's been playing people are forgetting that he's still young.  He couldn't play the way he's played forever, and tonight we saw that.  A more experienced player wouldn't have been affected the same way by all of the negativity directed against him after Game 5.

[angryguy77]

Bottom line to this discussion is that Rondo still has a bunch of growing up to do, as a player and as a man. Great NBA point guards don't play like he played tonight in a series clincher.

He was afraid of retaliation I believe. Thats the only reason I can see him playing so scared

[vinnie]

He may have been afraid of retaliation, but you play scared and you lose. In my opinion, Rondo played scared tonight and that just cannot happen.

[angryguy77]

But this kind of game is a growing time for him (I hope). He was booed and had people out for his head. Now he will know how to deal with that in the future.

[CeltiCpRide79]

I know I'm a little late, but let me take a whack at this. First off, I salute everyone's passion to get mad now, grow solidarity tomorrow. But I don't agree entirely on a few points.

It was Lindsey Hunter they used for the small lineup with Gordon fouled out, so not using Eddie House rather than Tony Allen to spell Davis was the harm. I think you have to take Davis out with Hinrich, Rose, Salmons, Hunter and Miller out there, unless you pull Perk. Doc just chose a guy who completely freezes on stretch offensive plays, and it was not appropriate.

But Rajon I must defend. Unless he really wanted to call his own number after the Hinrich lay-up miss reprieve, there is a real problem for me with the whole team not running somehting with Davis and Allen there. They were the hottest shooters down the stretch, and had massive success in big moments. Going away from that on offense was absurd, including on the play where Pierce lost his mind too.

The Hinrich play in the first half showed me that Rondo will return to form and help us rule the Bulls in Game 7. Don't believe the Del Negro hype. The pressure to actually win a game like that will be astronomical on the young Bulls, and the initial Celtics surge has a good chance of putting them in a pit that they cannot climb out of. Hear me out on what y'all have cited as a foolish flagrant. Hinrich was boxing him out and aided and abetted the progress backing up with the arm lock. Rondo was waiting for more retaliation, and decided to stop the dance. Granted, it was his most aggressive play of the night. But how did Kirk fare after that in the game? Miler and Hinrich have to be shut down, and Satuday night in Boston the Truth is going to testify. You know Rondo will grow to these occasions. I think Paul's bad play was more pivotal anyway with five fouls and a tied game. Rondo made his mistakes when the team was already trailing. Pierce's error truly cost us the game in that ultimate spot, but really, the end of regulation was the defense sleeping for hopefully the last time. We lost this game there before Rajon and Paul were embarrassed after a fantastic fight.

[Bossco]

I believe in criticizing a player's performance if it doesn't live up to the player's capabilities, but I also think that we must be fair and make note of the good things a player did even if their whole game wasn't up to par. I speak about Rajon Rondo here. He was 4-17 so obviously he had a rough night scoring the basketball. I agree that he made some bad decisions and that he didn't attack the basket the way that he had been doing in this series so far. I think some of that was because Ray was lighting it up and he was doing the proper thing by finding him. (at least for most of the game) Rondo had 19 assists (16 in regulation). Rajon played 57:30 Min. and DIDN'T HAVE A SINGLE TURNOVER! That is quite a feat. I am not sure but that may be a record for a point guard.

I don't know about you but if someone told me that Rajon was going to play 58 minutes without a turnover (Rose had 5 TO) and have 19 assists (tying Bob Cousy's record) and almost get another triple double I would take it.

Rondo has spoiled us. He has played so well that we expect him to do it all every game. All players make mistakes. Paul made some, doc made some - even Ray made some (having his foot on the line).

I am frustrated that Ray was not gone to in the latter stages of the game. Was that doc's, Rondo's or Paul's fault? It seemed like a no brainer to me.

I also wonder why Paul didn't see Ray coming around wide open for the 3 and instead forced it up like the old days when he thought he was the only one who could score.