Free throw shooting and Rajon Rondo

[Fafnir]

I agree, he needs to get better.  For all the talk of his improved shooting, through seven games Rondo has three free throws (on 6 attempts) and no three pointers (on one attempt).  All of those things need to improve drastically.

  He needs to hit his free throws but we don't need three point shots from Rondo, at least we haven't yet. I thought he might have taken Nash off the dribble more than he did last night but I wasn't wishing that he'd take any threes.

Lack of three point shooting is a weakness in Rondo's game.  The more range and accuracy he adds to his jump shot, the better he'll be as a player.  The lack of three point shooting is just another indicator that Rondo's jump shot isn't where it should be yet.

Obviously, it's possible to be a good shooter without three point range (see KG), but Rondo should at least be able to make wide open shots when left alone.

  There are plenty of point guards in the league that don't shoot threes any better than Rondo. Outside shooting is a weakness of his but it's also overblown on this board. You could say that shooting threes is a big weakness in Perk's game. But since the team doesn't need him to shoot threes it's not an issue. The team doesn't need Rondo to shoot more threes than he does.

But we do need him to be able to hit the 18-16 foot jump shot.

[BballTim]

  He needs to hit his free throws but we don't need three point shots from Rondo, at least we haven't yet. I thought he might have taken Nash off the dribble more than he did last night but I wasn't wishing that he'd take any threes.

Rondo may not need to hit 3's for the Celtics to be a title contender but he does need to hit 3's, make FT's, and generally shoot better if he is going to be a top tier PG.

He was completely outplayed by Nash last night.  Nash put up an MVP calibar game.  He controlled everything.  Pho did shoot lights out too but Nash was the game changer.

Rondo was a game changer too but in the wrong direction.  His lack of shooting is hurting the team.  The opponents sag off him and make it harder for anyone else to get a good shot.  It is hurting the team now and it will hurt the team in the playoffs.  His FT shooting didn't help either.

If that makes me a Rondo hater, so be it although I like Rondo alot.  He is in the big time now ($11M) because he wanted to get paid like a top 5 PG.  The bar is higher and so more scrutiny should be expected.

  While there are plenty of players in the list, Deron Williams, Tony Parker, Devin Harris, Baron Davis and Andre Miller all shot a lower percentage of threes than Rondo did last year. Are you saying that none of those players are top tier point guards?

  And as for last night's game, Nash had 16 points, 12 assists, 6 turnovers and no steals. Rondo had 14 points, 11 assists, 1 turnover and 3 steals. The Suns were a -7 while Nash played and the Celts were +4 with Rondo in the game. If Paul and (especially) Rasheed had been able to hit some of those wide open threes Rondo would have had 15 or so assists to go with that 1 turnover and we'd have won the game. Nash was far from MVP like last night.

[BballTim]

I agree, he needs to get better.  For all the talk of his improved shooting, through seven games Rondo has three free throws (on 6 attempts) and no three pointers (on one attempt).  All of those things need to improve drastically.

  He needs to hit his free throws but we don't need three point shots from Rondo, at least we haven't yet. I thought he might have taken Nash off the dribble more than he did last night but I wasn't wishing that he'd take any threes.

Lack of three point shooting is a weakness in Rondo's game.  The more range and accuracy he adds to his jump shot, the better he'll be as a player.  The lack of three point shooting is just another indicator that Rondo's jump shot isn't where it should be yet.

Obviously, it's possible to be a good shooter without three point range (see KG), but Rondo should at least be able to make wide open shots when left alone.

  There are plenty of point guards in the league that don't shoot threes any better than Rondo. Outside shooting is a weakness of his but it's also overblown on this board. You could say that shooting threes is a big weakness in Perk's game. But since the team doesn't need him to shoot threes it's not an issue. The team doesn't need Rondo to shoot more threes than he does.

But we do need him to be able to hit the 18-16 foot jump shot.

  I agree, but even if he starts hitting more of them teams will still sag off of him when they can.

[Fafnir]

I agree, he needs to get better.  For all the talk of his improved shooting, through seven games Rondo has three free throws (on 6 attempts) and no three pointers (on one attempt).  All of those things need to improve drastically.

  He needs to hit his free throws but we don't need three point shots from Rondo, at least we haven't yet. I thought he might have taken Nash off the dribble more than he did last night but I wasn't wishing that he'd take any threes.

Lack of three point shooting is a weakness in Rondo's game.  The more range and accuracy he adds to his jump shot, the better he'll be as a player.  The lack of three point shooting is just another indicator that Rondo's jump shot isn't where it should be yet.

Obviously, it's possible to be a good shooter without three point range (see KG), but Rondo should at least be able to make wide open shots when left alone.

  There are plenty of point guards in the league that don't shoot threes any better than Rondo. Outside shooting is a weakness of his but it's also overblown on this board. You could say that shooting threes is a big weakness in Perk's game. But since the team doesn't need him to shoot threes it's not an issue. The team doesn't need Rondo to shoot more threes than he does.

But we do need him to be able to hit the 18-16 foot jump shot.

  I agree, but even if he starts hitting more of them teams will still sag off of him when they can.

Of course they will, but the Celtics will have that many more possessions that result in scores. We already have a good offense.

If Rondo could reliably hit up to an 18 foot jump shot we'd in the running for best in the league.

[Vermont Green]

  He needs to hit his free throws but we don't need three point shots from Rondo, at least we haven't yet. I thought he might have taken Nash off the dribble more than he did last night but I wasn't wishing that he'd take any threes.

Rondo may not need to hit 3's for the Celtics to be a title contender but he does need to hit 3's, make FT's, and generally shoot better if he is going to be a top tier PG.

He was completely outplayed by Nash last night.  Nash put up an MVP calibar game.  He controlled everything.  Pho did shoot lights out too but Nash was the game changer.

Rondo was a game changer too but in the wrong direction.  His lack of shooting is hurting the team.  The opponents sag off him and make it harder for anyone else to get a good shot.  It is hurting the team now and it will hurt the team in the playoffs.  His FT shooting didn't help either.

If that makes me a Rondo hater, so be it although I like Rondo alot.  He is in the big time now ($11M) because he wanted to get paid like a top 5 PG.  The bar is higher and so more scrutiny should be expected.

  While there are plenty of players in the list, Deron Williams, Tony Parker, Devin Harris, Baron Davis and Andre Miller all shot a lower percentage of threes than Rondo did last year. Are you saying that none of those players are top tier point guards?

  And as for last night's game, Nash had 16 points, 12 assists, 6 turnovers and no steals. Rondo had 14 points, 11 assists, 1 turnover and 3 steals. The Suns were a -7 while Nash played and the Celts were +4 with Rondo in the game. If Paul and (especially) Rasheed had been able to hit some of those wide open threes Rondo would have had 15 or so assists to go with that 1 turnover and we'd have won the game. Nash was far from MVP like last night.

bballTim as usual makes some good points but I see things differently.  I saw a game where Nash got 16 points and 12 assists when the entire Celtics defense was focused on stopping him and Rondo got 14 points and 11 assists while his man sagged off him and helped cover everyone else.

I am shocked if anyone watched that game and came away not thinking Nash was the MVP and head and shoulders better than Rondo (for that game).

[Scalablob990]

Wyc should tell Rondo for every FT missed, he loses $10k off his yearly salary.....lets see what Rondo does then.

[Steve Weinman]

Wyc should tell Rondo for every FT missed, he loses $10k off his yearly salary.....lets see what Rondo does then.

Presumably file a grievance through the players' association?   

-sw

[vinnie]

Again, the sample is very small, but 0-2 tonight from the line against the Nets making him 0 for is last 5. He had a great night from the field, but his inability to make free throws is going to end up biting this team in the butt before the season ends. He is now shooting 37.5 percent from the line. That is completely unacceptable for a point guard.

One other issue. Why has the starting point guard taken only 8 free throws in the first 8 games? Shouldn't he be getting to the line more if he takes it to the basket?

[xmuscularghandix]

After tonight Rondo's percentage from the line is .375% which is horrible. But its not as horrible as it seems becuase he's only taken 8 shots from the line... BUT that's no excuse. Scal has taken only 2 three's and he made them both. Lester Hudson has taken 2 three's and guess what? he made them both


Eddie House .444%
Ray Allen .342%
Paul Pierce  .516%
Rasheed Wallace .340%
Brian Scalabrine  1.00%
Lester Hudson  1.00%


This doesn't really prove anything, but it's kind of strange that even this early you have 4 players on your team shooting a better percentage from DOWNTOWN than your starting PG is hitting at the stripe. Case in point Rondo... keep working... harder.

But he's playing IMO his best basketball (other than the playoffs) so far. He's showed up against the non-superstar PGs and played good against them as well.

After 8 games his AVGs:

10ppg, 9apg, 4rpg, 3.1spg, .594fg%
(He's only taken 69 shots and has scored 69 points. When you shoot 60% from the field you should have more points than shots)

[jambr380]

Well, didn't know what I said was going to be so controvertial...Rondo isn't 'horrible' at free throw shooting- sure, he hasn't been stellar this year, but he doesn't have to be a 90% ft shooter for me to be happy- he just needs to be average, which I basically think he is. I also think he is 'okay' at the mid-range jumper. If he develops a three throughout his career, then that is great, but I think he is fantastic right now and even though he is not as good at things that other shorter players in the league are, I don't think it really takes away from his 'dominance'. The word, 'hater', may have been a little strong. I probably just meant people that criticize him. He has so many intangibles that make him great that I don't care if he is ever Mark Price, in terms of shooting, because he is already better than Price in every other aspect of the game.

[jambr380]

Again, the sample is very small, but 0-2 tonight from the line against the Nets making him 0 for is last 5. He had a great night from the field, but his inability to make free throws is going to end up biting this team in the butt before the season ends. He is now shooting 37.5 percent from the line. That is completely unacceptable for a point guard.

One other issue. Why has the starting point guard taken only 8 free throws in the first 8 games? Shouldn't he be getting to the line more if he takes it to the basket?

...and this is what I mean. Why is the spotlight so on Rondo this year. I started off the year thinking everyone was overrating him and now here I am sticking up for the guy. Seriously, the free throws will come and focusing every bit of energy on the guy missing doesn't help. I am sincerely happy that he signed the contract extension and I think he is worth what he got even if he never hit another free throw again. For a team with the 'big three', the focus has easily been on Rondo more than anyone else- and for what, really, a couple of missed free throws?

[Scalablob990]

Wyc should tell Rondo for every FT missed, he loses $10k off his yearly salary.....lets see what Rondo does then.

Presumably file a grievance through the players' association?   

-sw

Hahaha good reply SW, but it never hurts to imagine. I think that scene would be hilarious. 

[Atzar]

In this topic we draw conclusions based on eight shots.  I'm more annoyed at the fact that he's only taken eight ft's than the fact that he's missed a few.  I think the percentage will come around, but he should have a lot of single games where he takes eight ft's...

[Roy Hobbs]

Rondo isn't 'horrible' at free throw shooting

Yes, he is, at least in relative terms.  He was the worst FT shooting starting point guard in the NBA last year.  For perspective, last season he was about 5% better than Shaq and Dwight Howard.  When you're in the same class as those guys -- as a guard -- your stroke can be considered "horrible". 

He's far, far below average. 

[Bankshot]

I know there are tons of things that Rondo does well, but good free throw shooting has to be one of them. I think it's unacceptable for us to give him a pass on this aspect of his game. It pretty much negates one of his biggest strengths (penetrating into the paint).

On a related note, it seems like Rondo isn't penetrating as much as he used to. Maybe it's just me, but I feel he's either choosing not to fly by people or he's not as quick this season. I hope neither is the case.

^This.  But I think he's not driving as much because he doesn't want to go to the line because of his poor free throw shooting.  Just a guess.  Remember Antoine would shy away from the paint and shoot 3's because he wanted to stay away from the free throw line and his poor free throw shooting?  I think that might be happening to Rondo.

Very disappointed that he hasn't improved his shot and more importantly free throws.

If he doesn't improve, he'll have the same problem in the playoffs that he did against Orlando.  Teams are going to sag off him making it more difficult for the rest of the team.