The Rondo Mystery

[TerreHaute]

There are lots of things to like about Rondo. Last night's game just isn't one of them. If he can start to consistently combine his freakish athleticism with good decision making, he will be a Hall of Fame point gaurd. My only complaint is that he doesn't seem to understand when to play it safe and when to take a chance. He was great in the 3rd when we were down 20+ points, because we had nothing to lose. However, when we get the lead under 10 midway through the 4th quarter, it is his job to make sure we don't turn the ball over in 3 out of 4 possessions. He hasn't quite grasped that, yet. He will eventually, and will be great.

[CoachBo]

Ah, the old "get off his back, he's carried us" bromide.

We run everything through the point offensively. When Rondo's attacking the rim looking to score or dish and defending aggressively, we're a great basketball team.

When he's yo-yoing the basketball and not defending - as he did for about 30 of the 40 minutes he spent on the floor last night - we're bad. His defense is overrated, actually, at its best - as Chris Webber pointed out on television last night. When he's not working hard on the defensive end, it's even worse.

The fact is, he played passively with the basketball for much of the game last night, and his judgment with the basketball was almost Tony Allen-like. No intensity, no effort, absolutely no focus. Plus, we hear that he cannot get to the arena in time to prepare for the game. His game has deteriorated markedly since the Brad Miller foul, and getting him back on track is job one for Doc.

To get to the point that some of you think he's already at, Rondo has to play aggressively ALL the time. He cannot take three quarters of a game off. There aren't any acceptable excuses for this kind of wild fluctuation in play. He's got to pick up his game or this series won't last long.

[2short]

The fact is, he played passively with the basketball for much of the game last night, and his judgment with the basketball was almost Tony Allen-like. No intensity, no effort, absolutely no focus. Plus, we hear that he cannot get to the arena in time to prepare for the game. His game has deteriorated markedly since the Brad Miller foul, and getting him back on track is job one for Doc.

To get to the point that some of you think he's already at, Rondo has to play aggressively ALL the time. He cannot take three quarters of a game off. There aren't any acceptable excuses for this kind of wild fluctuation in play. He's got to pick up his game or this series won't last long.

I have been a huge rondo fan since pre season his rookie year.  Last night I have to agree no intensity.  I don't know if he's hurt or sick??  But as someone else stated earlier if he isn't he should sit on the bench for AWHILE .  He can dominate this series but if he plays like last night our chances are 50/50

[Roy Hobbs]

. . . and even though he had a sub par game tonight he almost had another triple double against the Magic.

Correction:  he almost had a *quadruple* double.  You forgot the seven turnovers.

[Celtics17]

The guy just came off of a monster series. I mean, how many players have we seen without legendary name have a series like that? Rondo will be fine, he just still needs to learn a lot of things. The guy is going to be better next season, bank on it, and there will be far more times next year when we all just sit back and say, WOW, this guy is something else then we say that we would sure like to have another po8int guard. I'll take Rondo right now over any other point in the league, and I mean that!

[Roy Hobbs]

The guy just came off of a monster series. I mean, how many players have we seen without legendary name have a series like that? Rondo will be fine, he just still needs to learn a lot of things. The guy is going to be better next season, bank on it, and there will be far more times next year when we all just sit back and say, WOW, this guy is something else then we say that we would sure like to have another po8int guard. I'll take Rondo right now over any other point in the league, and I mean that!

The thing that worries a lot of people is that there was a sea change in Rondo's play starting in Game 6 of the Chicago series.  In the last two games of that series, and in Game 1 against Orlando, he didn't seem to be as mentally focused as some would like.

Couple that with reports that Rondo played sluggishly in Game 7 because he was eating junk food before Game 7 and he showed up late to the arena for Game 1, and a lot of fans are starting to become concerned about where this kid's head is at.

[biggs]

[/quote]
I agree about the arrogance. He was a cancer in his rookie season, but has matured. Confidence is important though in the NBA.[/quote]

Are you serious?  A cancer?  He made the locker room an uncomfortable place?  He drove other good players out of town? He was so detrimental to the chemistry of the team that every player wanted him out? Hey while we're at it, it must be his fault posey didn't resign and PJ went into retirement right? Ever heard of over reacting?  

They mentioned something about him eating a "spicy" meal before the game.  I think he was hungover, but when he through up that air ball on the free throw, I was worried he was going to pass out or something.  He's probably exhausted from averaging a triple double in a seven game series where he averaged so many minutes per game.

I don't blame Rondo, or Ray for that matter for our loss.
We will get back on pace.

[Thruthelookingglass]

There are lots of things to like about Rondo. Last night's game just isn't one of them. If he can start to consistently combine his freakish athleticism with good decision making, he will be a Hall of Fame point gaurd. My only complaint is that he doesn't seem to understand when to play it safe and when to take a chance. He was great in the 3rd when we were down 20+ points, because we had nothing to lose. However, when we get the lead under 10 midway through the 4th quarter, it is his job to make sure we don't turn the ball over in 3 out of 4 possessions. He hasn't quite grasped that, yet. He will eventually, and will be great.

There's a little bit of hot dog in Rondo, no doubt.  Still, at this point I'm pretty excited about our projected core of Rondo/Perkins (and maybe Baby? Powe? Walker?) for the next 10 years. 

Rondo usually plays at full throttle so we will see an effect when he's not playing at 100%.  Plenty of other guys who are more consistent can be more consistent because they aren't going all out every time and can step it up when they aren't 100%.

[EJPLAYA]

So just because the guy has games where he plays great we are supposed to overlook the ones that he plays like a rookie?! The whole point people are trying to make here is that the guy is making poor decisions that are killing this team that he shouldn't be making. He is hotdogging out there trying to make impossible passes. He is trying to score 1-3 on the break instead of pulling it back out. He is now settling for dribbling out the clock and shooting a poor outside jumper instead of taking it within the flow of the offense. He is getting lazy on defense and floating there at the top instead of rotating to the open guy. These are all mental lapses that shouldn't happen. It is one thing to be injured and struggle, but to struggle because you can't focus is unacceptable.

Doc needs to give him the hook when he is playing like that and sit him down and get in his ear about being the floor general instead of trying to play like he is in the all-star game. I don't know why he didn't play Marbury more in the second half when the guy was having such a good game. I think Rondo needs to worry about his minutes a little more so that he does the right thing out there.

[Roy Hobbs]

Are you serious?  A cancer?  He made the locker room an uncomfortable place?  He drove other good players out of town? He was so detrimental to the chemistry of the team that every player wanted him out? Hey while we're at it, it must be his fault posey didn't resign and PJ went into retirement right? Ever heard of over reacting?  

I think "cancer" is overdoing it, but I've read lots of stories that Rondo rubbed his teammates the wrong way, and that he has a reputation for being stubborn, clashing with his coaches, and being a bit of a jerk going back to his high school days.

However, from what I've read, Rondo gets along pretty well with his current teammates.  There are a lot of temporary disagreements (both on and off the court) between a lot of the players, due in part to personality conflicts, but if the players are being candid then it looks like everyone is getting along most of the time.

[droopdog7]

As far as his play, no matter how quick he is, cannot forget about his jump shot.  Obviously it was not falling yesterday but at the same time, he was more hesitant to take it from the start than he was against the Bulls.  It is going to be extremely difficult for him to take it to the hole without a least the threat of a jump shot. 

[MrTripleDouble10]

Wow.  So Rondo has one "off" game and it's back to this type of thread for Rondo.  How soon we forget who led them out of a grueling first round.

The man had a bad game, simple as that.  All of this other stuff is garbage.

[Roy Hobbs]

Wow.  So Rondo has one "off" game and it's back to this type of thread for Rondo.  How soon we forget who led them out of a grueling first round.

The man had a bad game, simple as that.  All of this other stuff is garbage.

I think the reason that some people are concerned is because he's had not one bad game, but *three* poor games in a row.

Over the last two games, he has 11 turnovers.  Over the last three games, he's a combined 8-for-37 (21.6%).  Last night, he made some truly bone-headed decisions down the stretch (building off some terrible decisions in Game 6).  I think it's natural to ask if there's something wrong with him.

[MattG12]

Won't the real Rajon Rondo please stand up!?

[Drucci]

The Hinrich story is in Rondo's head and he is playing poorly since this play. What I don't understand however is why Doc didn't play Marbury when he saw that Rondo was struggling... Marbury was huge in the second quarter and he didn't come back later in the game!