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

[johnnyrondo]

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

I love how people just love to attack Rondo every moment. He's becoming the new Tione. Is Ray Allen even playing this series? But Rondo's always the problem  Yes, his defense has gotten poorer in the playoffs. I think the absence of KG has hurt. Rondo has had a very good playoffs though. He and Baby have been the brightest stars for us.

[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 ...

  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.

Sigh.

Again ... Doc's offense is run through the point. Every play. When the point makes bad decisions, when the point fires passes into ankles instead of shooting a layup, when the point turns down open 10-footers, when the point steadfastly refuses to attack ... Want me to go on?

This offense runs as well as Rondo plays. Tonight, it has 37 points and Rondo has done nothing except rebound. Queue up all the excuses you want, but the guy initiating the offense has two points and three assists at the half - not good enough.

And for the sabremetric fans, he's -4 at intermission.

The spotlight is on Rondo because Doc puts it there in his system. And it shows warts. A LOT of warts, whether you want to admit it or not. Again tonight, in Game 5, Rondo's play in the first half is going to get this team beaten if he doesn't turn it around. He isn't the only one struggling, but he's certainly the guy with the most touches struggling.

Might be time to take the basketball out of his hands and put it in the Captain's.

[vagrantwade]

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

I love how people just love to attack Rondo every moment. He's becoming the new Tione. Is Ray Allen even playing this series? But Rondo's always the problem  Yes, his defense has gotten poorer in the playoffs. I think the absence of KG has hurt. Rondo has had a very good playoffs though. He and Baby have been the brightest stars for us.

Rondo is playing awful defense again tonight, and he is taking shots he shouldn't be taking.

[bleedinggreen34]

Again ... Doc's offense is run through the point. Every play. When the point makes bad decisions, when the point fires passes into ankles instead of shooting a layup, when the point turns down open 10-footers, when the point steadfastly refuses to attack ... Want me to go on?

This offense runs as well as Rondo plays. Tonight, it has 37 points and Rondo has done nothing except rebound. Queue up all the excuses you want, but the guy initiating the offense has two points and three assists at the half - not good enough.

And for the sabremetric fans, he's -4 at intermission.

The spotlight is on Rondo because Doc puts it there in his system. And it shows warts. A LOT of warts, whether you want to admit it or not. Again tonight, in Game 5, Rondo's play in the first half is going to get this team beaten if he doesn't turn it around. He isn't the only one struggling, but he's certainly the guy with the most touches struggling.

Might be time to take the basketball out of his hands and put it in the Captain's.

Have you been watching this series at all?  The entire offense has been predicated on off the ball screens, Ray and Paul running off screens.  None of the offense has gone through Rondo in the past few games, likely b/c Doc is wary of having him run into a brick wall in Howard.

As for Rondo's defense - did anyone notice how in the time span in which he was out, the Celts could literally not buy a stop on the defensive end?  Rondo isn't letting his guy get by him, he is cheating off of him so he can stay on the perimeter.  Notice how all the perimeter defenders pretty much play the same way?  Because they do.  Please, folks, use your eyes when you watch these games.

I swear, 98% of this board has probably never been on an organized basketball court, which is mind boggling given its the most accessible & available sport that exists.

[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.

Sigh.

Again ... Doc's offense is run through the point. Every play. When the point makes bad decisions, when the point fires passes into ankles instead of shooting a layup, when the point turns down open 10-footers, when the point steadfastly refuses to attack ... Want me to go on?

This offense runs as well as Rondo plays. Tonight, it has 37 points and Rondo has done nothing except rebound. Queue up all the excuses you want, but the guy initiating the offense has two points and three assists at the half - not good enough.

  Too funny. I could see a post like this yesterday or this morning, but during or after the game? Wow. How many times in the first quarter did Rondo give the ball to Paul or Ray before he got out of the backcourt? From my point of view, when Rajon gives the ball to Paul by the opponent's free throw line and goes into one of the corners while Paul runs a play, or when he brings the ball up and immediately passes it to Ray on the perimeter and (again) goes either close to the basket or into a corner, it's not running through the point. Especially not every play.

   The game plan from the get go was to get the ball into Paul or Ray's hands and to get them going offensively, not for Rondo to try and penetrate or create offense. I'll agree that Rondo didn't have a standout half and didn't control the offense enough to get a lot of assists. I'm completely unsurprised that you blame him for all of our offensive woes.

[vinnie]

Loved the win tonight, obviously, but sorry, Rondo was about two steps above an awful game. Hopefully this will be the last game like this we see from him in these playoffs.

[crownsy]

Despite what you read on this board, Rondo doesn't come to play every night. His intensity - and thus his play - are wildly inconsistent. His defense, frankly, is overrated and it's not because he can't defend. He doesn't want to defend all the time.

I continue to see significant maturity issues with his game, and he's got to iron that out before he will elevate his game into the pantheon of NBA great point guards. He's not there yet, and last night, he wasn't close.

We keep saying that he's not there "yet" -- but I'm beginning to wonder if he'll ever get there (or maybe this is just an overreaction to last night). I know it's only his third season and he's 23, but is competitiveness something that can be changed? Can he really force himself to play competitively if he's playing someone he truly doesn't perceive to be worth playing against? I feel like he has to change his worldview, or have an epiphany or something.

I love Rondo (and he's by far my favorite player), but why is it so hard to motivate him to play his best every game?

so what do you think is rays problem this series by this logic? i mean, he's a sure fire HOF'er and he can't put up a consistant game, he makes some god plays then shoots poorly for 5 possesions?

how about paul, who is aout 2/5 for good games vs the magic so far?

[pengaloo]

Despite what you read on this board, Rondo doesn't come to play every night. His intensity - and thus his play - are wildly inconsistent. His defense, frankly, is overrated and it's not because he can't defend. He doesn't want to defend all the time.

I continue to see significant maturity issues with his game, and he's got to iron that out before he will elevate his game into the pantheon of NBA great point guards. He's not there yet, and last night, he wasn't close.

We keep saying that he's not there "yet" -- but I'm beginning to wonder if he'll ever get there (or maybe this is just an overreaction to last night). I know it's only his third season and he's 23, but is competitiveness something that can be changed? Can he really force himself to play competitively if he's playing someone he truly doesn't perceive to be worth playing against? I feel like he has to change his worldview, or have an epiphany or something.

I love Rondo (and he's by far my favorite player), but why is it so hard to motivate him to play his best every game?

so what do you think is rays problem this series by this logic? i mean, he's a sure fire HOF'er and he can't put up a consistant game, he makes some god plays then shoots poorly for 5 possesions?

how about paul, who is aout 2/5 for good games vs the magic so far?

Fatigue... though honestly, I have no clue. I admit that I don't think about Ray and Paul even half as much as I think about Rondo's game - because like I said, he's my favorite player.

Today, Rondo was probably the last one on the court following half time. He practiced maybe 30 seconds, and then went to the bench. Makes me think something's physically wrong with him?

[crownsy]

Despite what you read on this board, Rondo doesn't come to play every night. His intensity - and thus his play - are wildly inconsistent. His defense, frankly, is overrated and it's not because he can't defend. He doesn't want to defend all the time.

I continue to see significant maturity issues with his game, and he's got to iron that out before he will elevate his game into the pantheon of NBA great point guards. He's not there yet, and last night, he wasn't close.

We keep saying that he's not there "yet" -- but I'm beginning to wonder if he'll ever get there (or maybe this is just an overreaction to last night). I know it's only his third season and he's 23, but is competitiveness something that can be changed? Can he really force himself to play competitively if he's playing someone he truly doesn't perceive to be worth playing against? I feel like he has to change his worldview, or have an epiphany or something.

I love Rondo (and he's by far my favorite player), but why is it so hard to motivate him to play his best every game?

so what do you think is rays problem this series by this logic? i mean, he's a sure fire HOF'er and he can't put up a consistant game, he makes some god plays then shoots poorly for 5 possesions?

how about paul, who is aout 2/5 for good games vs the magic so far?

Fatigue... though honestly, I have no clue. I admit that I don't think about Ray and Paul even half as much as I think about Rondo's game - because like I said, he's my favorite player.

Today, Rondo was probably the last one on the court following half time. He practiced maybe 30 seconds, and then went to the bench. Makes me think something's physically wrong with him?

well yea, he has two sprained ankles he's playing through.

[BballTim]

Despite what you read on this board, Rondo doesn't come to play every night. His intensity - and thus his play - are wildly inconsistent. His defense, frankly, is overrated and it's not because he can't defend. He doesn't want to defend all the time.

I continue to see significant maturity issues with his game, and he's got to iron that out before he will elevate his game into the pantheon of NBA great point guards. He's not there yet, and last night, he wasn't close.

We keep saying that he's not there "yet" -- but I'm beginning to wonder if he'll ever get there (or maybe this is just an overreaction to last night). I know it's only his third season and he's 23, but is competitiveness something that can be changed? Can he really force himself to play competitively if he's playing someone he truly doesn't perceive to be worth playing against? I feel like he has to change his worldview, or have an epiphany or something.

I love Rondo (and he's by far my favorite player), but why is it so hard to motivate him to play his best every game?

so what do you think is rays problem this series by this logic? i mean, he's a sure fire HOF'er and he can't put up a consistant game, he makes some god plays then shoots poorly for 5 possesions?

how about paul, who is aout 2/5 for good games vs the magic so far?

Fatigue... though honestly, I have no clue. I admit that I don't think about Ray and Paul even half as much as I think about Rondo's game - because like I said, he's my favorite player.

Today, Rondo was probably the last one on the court following half time. He practiced maybe 30 seconds, and then went to the bench. Makes me think something's physically wrong with him?

well yea, he has two sprained ankles he's playing through.

  Not to mention he's leading the league in minutes played during the playoffs. The Bulls series took a lot out of the Celts. Not just the overtimes, but almost all of the games were close from beginning to end.

[pengaloo]

well yea, he has two sprained ankles he's playing through.

true.. but he's also played some great stretches of games with those same sprained ankles. Unless they're worse now, which wouldn't be a surprise.

[crownsy]

well yea, he has two sprained ankles he's playing through.

true.. but he's also played some great games with those same sprained ankles. Unless they're worse now, which wouldn't be a surprise.

the magic defense is also leaps and bounds above the bulls defense.