Rondo trying to invent new pass (I think)

[Rondo2Giddens]

I've noticed Rondo trying to do a kind of pass in the last two games that I've never seen before. In the game against the Thunder, and last night, It looked like Rondo Tried to spin the ball forward on a bounce pass while on the run.

We know you can spin the ball and make it turn when it hits the floor on a bounce pass. But Rondo is trying to turn it a way I've never seen.

Both plays were similar, and I'm sure some of you noticed it. In the Thunder game, it happened right around that stretch when Rondo had those three assists in a row to KG dunks. Rondo was running up the right side of the court on a fast break and tried to make a bounce pass to Pierce running down the left. He kind of jumps, swings his arm down as he throws a bounce bass to pierce. In both cases, as soon as the ball hit the floor, it shot way up in the air, and Pierce had to reach an grab it above his head. In both cases there was a defender stepping into the lane in between them, and I think Rondo was trying to make the ball spin around the defender, so it would lead Pierce to the hoop; but that he just had the angle of the spin wrong, so it bounced up.

I have no idea if this is true, but I don't see any other reason that the pass would look so odd, and come off the floor so weird, unless rondo was trying to do something ridiculous; and this would be. I don't think I've ever seen it before.

Anyone else notice those plays? I think I might have come to this conclusion just based on how creative Rondo has been with his passes over the last few games. There were a couple I can remember actually brought me up out of my chair.

[Prof. Clutch]

I've noticed Rondo trying to do a kind of pass in the last two games that I've never seen before. In the game against the Thunder, and last night, It looked like Rondo Tried to spin the ball forward on a bounce pass while on the run.

We know you can spin the ball and make it turn when it hits the floor on a bounce pass. But Rondo is trying to turn it a way I've never seen.

Both plays were similar, and I'm sure some of you noticed it. In the Thunder game, it happened right around that stretch when Rondo had those three assists in a row to KG dunks. Rondo was running up the right side of the court on a fast break and tried to make a bounce pass to Pierce running down the left. He kind of jumps, swings his arm down as he throws a bounce bass to pierce. In both cases, as soon as the ball hit the floor, it shot way up in the air, and Pierce had to reach an grab it above his head. In both cases there was a defender stepping into the lane in between them, and I think Rondo was trying to make the ball spin around the defender, so it would lead Pierce to the hoop; but that he just had the angle of the spin wrong, so it bounced up.

I have no idea if this is true, but I don't see any other reason that the pass would look so odd, and come off the floor so weird, unless rondo was trying to do something ridiculous; and this would be. I don't think I've ever seen it before.

Anyone else notice those plays? I think I might have come to this conclusion just based on how creative Rondo has been with his passes over the last few games. There were a couple I can remember actually brought me up out of my chair.

I hadn't noticed it but I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case.  Rondo's passing is a beautiful thing in general, and one that is given far too little admiration.

[Chris]

Rondo has done those passes before.  It's not about spinning it around the defender, it is about making it bounce really high, so that it can be caught easily, and go straight up with the layup.  Basically, Rondo is just taking Tommy's favorite bounce passes (ones that "sit up") to the next level.

[xmuscularghandix]

I want him to start doing bounce pass alley-oops like Isiah used to.

[MattG12]

Any videos of this?

[BballTim]

  Magic Johnson used to put a lot of sidespin on 40+ foot passes. There would be a defender between Magic and his teammate so he'd throu the ball out to the side and it would bounce back around the defender.