The Rondo Mystery

[cdif911]

I've been holding onto this one, as I think it will get pretty heavily criticized, but the last few games, I see a kid who may be struggling with some sort of drug/alcohol abuse problem.  I've been around athletes like that and some days they're on and others they're as far from earth as they can get.  This is of course 1 million percent speculative, but it could be a scary possibility.

He's addicted to Rondohol! 

I think Bo and others are right - Rajon's always been inconsistent, and you measure the peaks and valleys in weeks, not games.  Over the last 3 years his peaks are higher and more frequent, and his dips are rarer and shallower (like 19 ast 0 to in a pretty bad game).  Learning how to play at a consistently high level is a big part of his learning process. 

I haven't seen anything to indicate this bad stretch is somehow unique or different, it's just frustrating cause it's the playoffs and we've just seen how scary good he could be someday.

I hope you're right!  I do think when all is said and done Rondo's gonna be some sort of sports case study...not sure what it'll be, but he is unique, that goes without saying

[RebusRankin]

I've been holding onto this one, as I think it will get pretty heavily criticized, but the last few games, I see a kid who may be struggling with some sort of drug/alcohol abuse problem.  I've been around athletes like that and some days they're on and others they're as far from earth as they can get.  This is of course 1 million percent speculative, but it could be a scary possibility.

Why post something like this? Nothing but rumour mongering.

[cdif911]

I've been holding onto this one, as I think it will get pretty heavily criticized, but the last few games, I see a kid who may be struggling with some sort of drug/alcohol abuse problem.  I've been around athletes like that and some days they're on and others they're as far from earth as they can get.  This is of course 1 million percent speculative, but it could be a scary possibility.

Why post something like this? Nothing but rumour mongering.

maybe you should read it again, I disclose that A) I think I'll be criticized for it which was why I didn't say it before, and there you go, and B) it's 1 million percent speculative

I'm just saying as an observer of human behavior, he seems to be exhibiting symptoms of some form of depression through intentional self-deprecation (showing up late, eating spicy foods) - these types of things are often related to addictions - not eating spicy food per se, but making bad decisions, potentially on purpose.  I didn't say Rondo has an addiction or try to create a rumor that he did, I was looking for other's thoughts on the topic.

[CoachBo]

Been looking at some stuff on the DVR, and I'll throw this out as a theory:

I wonder if Rondo clearly understands his role on this club sans Garnett. With three premier scorers on the floor, his role is admittedly more deferential than it is now, when essentially he fills one of the three scoring roles. It's easier to survive offensively with him taking a passive distribution role with Garnett on the floor.

With just Pierce and Allen, though - two players who rely a bunch on where they get the basketball on the floor - the role changes to more of a creator, and I'm not sure he grasps that. With Davis instead of Garnett on the floor, the offense comes to a screeching halt when Rajon pounds the basketball at the top of the key. It works pretty well, though, when he's probing off the dribble, testing his man and reading the screens and curls.

His game isn't mature, as I see it, primarily in situational recognition and response. I categorize response to adversity in that vein, also - he hasn't been the same since the Brad Miller foul. I wonder if you just don't sit him down, tell him forget it and simplify direction: We need you working the basketball off the dribble and defending like a madman. If you're going to make a mistake, make it at full speed. I really don't think you need to tell a pro that, but Rondo's running the offense like Garnett's on the floor and that is no longer a winning formula for us.

Just play, man.

I'm not ready to buy into any great, deep conspiracy on Rondo's decline. I think we have to at least entertain the notion that he's confused.

[cordobes]

Rondo's biggest problem for the last 2 seasons has been his inconsistency. I've been arguing that and I had some fierce discussions about it in the past. But this is the current Rondo. Even Ainge said it recently: the next step is that he needs to bring his A game every night. He's not there yet; let's hope he'll be ASAP. 

I can't understand why would people expect Rondo to stop being inconsistent now. Hopefully, he'll turn things around again sooner rather than later - otherwise it may be too late.

[CoachBo]

That's true. He's a third year player, and I think Celtics fans in general have been - and are - far too hasty to elevate the kids to star status.

He's not there yet. I still feel pretty good about his chances of getting there, but he's adapting now to a vastly increased role on a team that cannot win if he doesn't elevate his game. Fair amount of a pressure for a third-year guy.

BTW, do I win a prize for having "leet" show up in the post count?

 

[pengaloo]

The NYT has an article on Rondo with some pretty interesting quotes from players...

“He’s quiet,” said the Magic’s Rafer Alston, Rondo’s series counterpart. “He’s not talking trash or anything like that. Listen, I don’t think Dwight’s getting into a shoving match with Rajon Rondo. I don’t think that’s smart, but you have to be feisty. Especially, when you’re small.”

“He’s not confrontational, meaning he’s not like Kevin Garnett,” said Glen Davis, whose nickname is Big Baby. “He doesn’t initiate a lot of it. He’s more laid-back. But if you come at him, he comes at you.”

“I was reading earlier that people think he’s polite,” Celtics forward Brian Scalabrine said. “Rajon is one of the feistiest guys on this team. One time, we were on the plane and we were playing cards and we got into it a little bit. He has a nice temper on him. You don’t get this far without a little bit of a temper, and Rajon has the perfect amount that you would want in a point guard.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/06/sports/basketball/06celtics.html?ref=basketball

[BballTim]

Personally, I think you want to be careful not to overanalyze the facts here.

Rondo's always been wildly inconsistent. He's still wildly inconsistent. In the rush to declare him a star, I think some of us - me included - have put wishful thinking above fact.

He's not a great NBA point guard. Yet. He's got to display better judgment with the basketball and better effort across the board before he gets there. And he's got to understand that on the nights when he takes time off - three quarters being pretty extreme last night - the club suffers.

  He's inconsistent, but he's clearly elevated his game. Last year in the playoffs he averaged 10 points, 7 assists and 4 boards. If you look at the worst 8 games he'd have averaged around 5 points, 4 assists and 3 rebounds. His last 3 games he's averaged 10 points 8 rebounds and 13 assists. His overall averages are 19/9/11. Not great yet, but clearly improving.

[nickagneta]

Let's all face some facts.

The Rondo that played the first five games of the Chicago series isn't Rajon Rondo. It's what he could someday be, but it is not what he currently is. The Rondo that played in Game 1 of the Orlando series is not Rajon Rondo. He is currently a much better player than what he displayed for most of Monday night.

The Rondo that played in Games 6 and 7 are really more the Rondo that we have seen all year, exuding potential to be something great, giving this team what it needs from the PG position(with KG here) but making questionable decisions and playing not so great defense.

I wouldn't label Games 6 and 7 as bad games and Rondo did do some things and put up some stats that most teams would kill to get out of their PG, but we was inconsistent with a bad outside shot. Monday's game was atrocious for 30 minutes and great for 8 and Rondo for the last 2 minutes of the game.

What I look forward to is Rondo evening out the inconsistencies and becoming what he will be when he is a true veteran in his prime. He could be a great defensive player that gives you Jason Kidd like production and could lead the league in triple doubles some day. Or he could stay and be what he is now, forever. I think the kid has too much pride and belief in himself to have the latter happen and think the former is only a couple or so years away.

[nickagneta]

Personally, I think you want to be careful not to overanalyze the facts here.

Rondo's always been wildly inconsistent. He's still wildly inconsistent. In the rush to declare him a star, I think some of us - me included - have put wishful thinking above fact.

He's not a great NBA point guard. Yet. He's got to display better judgment with the basketball and better effort across the board before he gets there. And he's got to understand that on the nights when he takes time off - three quarters being pretty extreme last night - the club suffers.

  He's inconsistent, but he's clearly elevated his game. Last year in the playoffs he averaged 10 points, 7 assists and 4 boards. If you look at the worst 8 games he'd have averaged around 5 points, 4 assists and 3 rebounds. His last 3 games he's averaged 10 points 8 rebounds and 13 assists. His overall averages are 19/9/11. Not great yet, but clearly improving.

Wow, I can not believe this. BBall I completely agree with just about everything you have said about Rondo in this thread. TP4U.

[TerreHaute]

After posting earlier and readimg most of the posts on here I have narrowed some ideas down that I have about Rondo.

1) He is very talented and effective for a player his age. Especially considering he has some very obvious offensive flaws that team should be able to exploit but can't consistently.
2) His defense is not as good as advertised. He has great defensive "tools", but does not use the fundamentals necessary to make a great defensive player (yet).
3) He does not yet have the maturity of a veteran point gaurd, which makes sense when considering his age and experience. Case in point, he often feeds off the pace of the game rather than controlling the pace of the game as a mature pg should. When the pace of the game gets out of control, he is often a culprit when he should really be finding ways to settle his team down.
4) He does not handle closing situations (shot clock or end of quarter) well with the ball in his hands. Personally, I am not sure why we isolate him when we can easily run a play for PP or Ray, then let him create if it breaks down.

Rondo is what he is, a very good player that has the chance to be great. #3 + #4 are pretty picky things to mention for a young pg. I think we all need to understand that up until the last three years he has probably been the best player on every team he has been on. So even though he was the pg, he was also the 1st or 2nd offensive option most of the time. Those are hard habits to break.

As a former coach and pg, my belief is that the person in that position is responsible for how the team plays, much like a QB in football. He should be held responsible for those things and the shortcomings he has. However, the fans (myself included) need to be reasonable with our expectations for a young point guard playing on a championship caliber team with Hall of Fame players.

[CoachBo]

Personally, I think you want to be careful not to overanalyze the facts here.

Rondo's always been wildly inconsistent. He's still wildly inconsistent. In the rush to declare him a star, I think some of us - me included - have put wishful thinking above fact.

He's not a great NBA point guard. Yet. He's got to display better judgment with the basketball and better effort across the board before he gets there. And he's got to understand that on the nights when he takes time off - three quarters being pretty extreme last night - the club suffers.

  He's inconsistent, but he's clearly elevated his game. Last year in the playoffs he averaged 10 points, 7 assists and 4 boards. If you look at the worst 8 games he'd have averaged around 5 points, 4 assists and 3 rebounds. His last 3 games he's averaged 10 points 8 rebounds and 13 assists. His overall averages are 19/9/11. Not great yet, but clearly improving.

Wow, I can not believe this. BBall I completely agree with just about everything you have said about Rondo in this thread. TP4U.

It must be late. I agree as well. He's improving, but he's got a ways to go.

[libermaniac]

His overall averages are 19/9/11. Not great yet, but clearly improving.

Um, if 19/9/11 are not great for a PG, I don't know what is. Tough standards.

[BballTim]

His overall averages are 19/9/11. Not great yet, but clearly improving.

Um, if 19/9/11 are not great for a PG, I don't know what is. Tough standards.

  No, I didn't mean the numbers weren't great. I meant Rondo isn't great. Right now he's well above average.

[wdleehi]

Rondo needs to do two thing.


1) be agressive at all times.  Attack

2) Not be stupid.  He threw an unneccisary hand shove at Howard after a play when Howard started heading down the floor. 




Therfore, Rondo needs to be the aggressive, non stupid PG.