Why doesn't Rondo keep his man in front of him?

[TerreHaute]

Howard sets a ton of moving picks.  I'm not sure what you can do aobut that if the officials aren't going to call it.

  Honestly, if they reffed him like they ref Perk he'd foul out in the first quarter. Lewis is almost as bad.

Couldn't agree more. I understand this is the playoffs, and it is a hard time to teach a kids a lesson, but Doc needs to sit Rondo in some instances and let him have it. He is a very good player and will eventually be great, but shouldn't get this much rope at 22-23 years old.

[ScoobyDoo]

Rondo's lack of good, fundamental D kills us. If he could stay dialed in on the point defense, I beleive he has the physical tools to basically disrupt the other teams offense single handed. Whic is what makes it all the more frustrating. A guy who could easily dominate the game just on his defense of the opposing team's point but instead he plays "make the play D" all night and it kills us.

To me, Rondo playing D like he does would be the equivalent of Dwight Howard hangin out by the three line all night insisting on shooting 8 threes a game.

It's a real lack of understanding of your gifts and responsibility to the team because of them.   

[vagrantwade]

Rondo is really p---ing me off with his silly fouls.

[Fan from VT]

One wrinkle is that Rondo has been by far our best offensive player. His offense is dependent on a very high level of athleticism and energy. Playing gamble defense may be saving Rondo some energy for offense.

[vagrantwade]

And rondo gives old man johnson another free layup.

[CoachBo]

One wrinkle is that Rondo has been by far our best offensive player. His offense is dependent on a very high level of athleticism and energy. Playing gamble defense may be saving Rondo some energy for offense.

I'm not sure how you can say that since he's spent two of the last three games playing passively with the basketball.

He's just taking plays off - on both ends of the floor.

[vinnie]

Rajon Rondo has now become one of the most frustrating basketball players I have ever watched. It simply seems to me that he plays defense when he wants to, which lately has been 10 minutes at most per night.

[BballTim]

  I'm surprised people are going so easy on Rondo. Alston and Johnson combined totaled 9 points 2 rebounds and 2 assists on 3-14 shooting. It's hard for the team to climb out of the hole Rondo's defense put us in.

[Edgar]

In all fairness
Johnson is an aged veteran who knows how to take advantage of players gambling at him.
the right way to cover a vet is as the tittle point staying in fron of him
thats not pierres style
maybe that will come with a couple of seasons
to switch to one mode into another
hes defensive style usually pays...not this series..

[vinnie]

  I'm surprised people are going so easy on Rondo. Alston and Johnson combined totaled 9 points 2 rebounds and 2 assists on 3-14 shooting. It's hard for the team to climb out of the hole Rondo's defense put us in.

Are you able to figure out how many times Rondo let his man get to the lane for an easy dish for a layup or slam dunk by one of their teammates? Bottom line is if Rondo keeps him man in front of him and out of the lane moving forward, C's will win this series.

[BballTim]

  I'm surprised people are going so easy on Rondo. Alston and Johnson combined totaled 9 points 2 rebounds and 2 assists on 3-14 shooting. It's hard for the team to climb out of the hole Rondo's defense put us in.

Are you able to figure out how many times Rondo let his man get to the lane for an easy dish for a layup or slam dunk by one of their teammates? Bottom line is if Rondo keeps him man in front of him and out of the lane moving forward, C's will win this series.

  Again, since Alston and Johnson totaled 2 assists in the game I doubt it was happening on a regular basis. I didn't think that Orlando's pgs were causing us a ton of trouble. Johnson got in for 2 layups, one where he outfoxed Rondo and once where Rajon got caught up on a pick from Howard. Everyone gets beat sometimes, and it doesn't always mean that you're taking plays off or that you're an inconsistent defender.

[Fafnir]

  I'm surprised people are going so easy on Rondo. Alston and Johnson combined totaled 9 points 2 rebounds and 2 assists on 3-14 shooting. It's hard for the team to climb out of the hole Rondo's defense put us in.

Are you able to figure out how many times Rondo let his man get to the lane for an easy dish for a layup or slam dunk by one of their teammates? Bottom line is if Rondo keeps him man in front of him and out of the lane moving forward, C's will win this series.

  Again, since Alston and Johnson totaled 2 assists in the game I doubt it was happening on a regular basis. I didn't think that Orlando's pgs were causing us a ton of trouble. Johnson got in for 2 layups, one where he outfoxed Rondo and once where Rajon got caught up on a pick from Howard. Everyone gets beat sometimes, and it doesn't always mean that you're taking plays off or that you're an inconsistent defender.

TP!

Rondo played a solid game last night. The Magic did a very good job of covering the lane and he responded by attacking the rim offensively. Defensively he did a lot of good things, in particular his rebounding.

[CoachBo]

  I'm surprised people are going so easy on Rondo. Alston and Johnson combined totaled 9 points 2 rebounds and 2 assists on 3-14 shooting. It's hard for the team to climb out of the hole Rondo's defense put us in.

Are you able to figure out how many times Rondo let his man get to the lane for an easy dish for a layup or slam dunk by one of their teammates? Bottom line is if Rondo keeps him man in front of him and out of the lane moving forward, C's will win this series.

  Again, since Alston and Johnson totaled 2 assists in the game I doubt it was happening on a regular basis. I didn't think that Orlando's pgs were causing us a ton of trouble. Johnson got in for 2 layups, one where he outfoxed Rondo and once where Rajon got caught up on a pick from Howard. Everyone gets beat sometimes, and it doesn't always mean that you're taking plays off or that you're an inconsistent defender.

TP!

Rondo played a solid game last night. The Magic did a very good job of covering the lane and he responded by attacking the rim offensively. Defensively he did a lot of good things, in particular his rebounding.

Rondo was much better last night - although he had some terrible possessions on both ends in the second quarter - than in Game 3.

So if the pattern follows, he will take Game 5 off ...

[BballTim]

  I'm surprised people are going so easy on Rondo. Alston and Johnson combined totaled 9 points 2 rebounds and 2 assists on 3-14 shooting. It's hard for the team to climb out of the hole Rondo's defense put us in.

Are you able to figure out how many times Rondo let his man get to the lane for an easy dish for a layup or slam dunk by one of their teammates? Bottom line is if Rondo keeps him man in front of him and out of the lane moving forward, C's will win this series.

  Again, since Alston and Johnson totaled 2 assists in the game I doubt it was happening on a regular basis. I didn't think that Orlando's pgs were causing us a ton of trouble. Johnson got in for 2 layups, one where he outfoxed Rondo and once where Rajon got caught up on a pick from Howard. Everyone gets beat sometimes, and it doesn't always mean that you're taking plays off or that you're an inconsistent defender.

TP!

Rondo played a solid game last night. The Magic did a very good job of covering the lane and he responded by attacking the rim offensively. Defensively he did a lot of good things, in particular his rebounding.

Rondo was much better last night - although he had some terrible possessions on both ends in the second quarter - than in Game 3.

So if the pattern follows, he will take Game 5 off ...

  What player doesn't have a few bad possessions a game? If you train that microscope of yours on any other player on the Celts (or in the league) you'll find that they make plays every game that you can criticize.

[Change]

How the hell did rondo make 2nd team all defense?