A franchise PG that shoots 53 percent FT's will not pan out

[pearljammer10]

Well here's a news flash...Rondo already has a championship ring by being a starting PG on a championship team... Its one game. Get over it, squat happens. Rondo is one of the top 5 PG's in the league and he isnt going to pan out because of missing two free throws in a mid season game against the clippers? Game 7 of a finals game maybe, then maybe Id give you some credit for this post but not now...

Pierce missed free throws in the clutch against the eastern finals Nets game to cost us that year and yeah he hasn't panned out either.

[pengaloo]

From what I've seen and read, it seems like Rondo's free throw shooting success (or lack of) depends on his head. KG, Ray, Eddie House - back when Rondo almost broke the record for most consecutive FT's missed - all said that Rondo's issue with FT's is that he hasn't yet established a consistent FT routine. Tommy said that Rondo's issue is that he's such a high energy player all the time that he's not calm when he's shooting his FT's. I don't think there's any easy way to figure out a consistent routine and a good mental state other than shooting more free throws during the game. As much as I hate seeing Rondo miss those free throws, I'm glad that he has the opportunity to practice them in game. I don't think it matters that we lose a couple of games during the season because Rondo chokes on his free throws. What's important is the bigger picture - that he makes them in the near future. The only way that's going to happen is if we keep the ball in his hands and let him get to the line at the end of games so he can practice his FT shooting in real game situations.

[twinbree]

His numbers have been horrifying most of the season but I think he's getting better. I'm optimistic he won't stay at 53% forever. At the very least he'll get closer to his career averages.

It's a shame he missed 2 yesterday and we lost but the regular season is for things like these he needs to get comfortable in the end of game situations. He's been great at the end of a few games during the streak so I'm not going to be overly critical in this case beyond the usual he needs to shoot a respectable FT%.  

[Change]

His overall contribution negates at little choke job. I shouldn't even call it 'A choke Job' since Rondo isn't a good FT shooter to begin with. Its a good learning experience. He'll hit them next time (I Hope)....

[BballTim]

All I can say is I love everyone defending Rondo and his 53 percent free throw shooting. The OP is right: 53 percent free throw shooting is not acceptable for a starting point guard.

  Nobody's happy that Rondo's not a better ft shooter. Many people realize that he does enough things well enough to make up for that shortfall. Would I rather have Rondo hit more of his fts? Clearly. Would I rather switch him for a pg who hits more of them? Probably not. So I "accept" the "unacceptable".

And FYI, while not much better, during the championship season he shot 61 percent from the line and last year he was 64 percent from the line. So why the decline? Don't most players improve their free throw shooting over their career?

  Yes, but it's not a straight line improvement. 90% of the players in the league have their ft and fg shooting go up or down every year instead of always going up or always staying the same. People who claim that Rondo is regressing when his numbers go  down a little are missing that. Also, the season's fairly young and Rondo went through a 1-13 stint from the line. It'll take a while to recover from that. Aside from that he's in the 60s. Also, his ft% is increasing as he takes more. By the end of November he'd taken 26 fts in 17 games. He hit about 38% of those. In December he's taken 48 in 12 games and he's hit just over 60% of them.

The other thing I like is the way posters are distorting the issue. No one, I don't think, is saying get rid of Rondo and get a bad point guard who can shoot free throws.

  I think unacceptable implies that you'd change pgs if he doesn't improve. And those posters are just adding another perspective to the issue. Free throw shooting isn't the end-all for point guards, just outside shooting isn't. How many dozens of times have we heard that Rondo can't be considered a top pg or an all-star unless he improves his shooting?

What most of us are saying is that 53 percent is totally unacceptable and it probably will hurt this team a few more times this year and maybe in the playoffs.

  Sure it will hurt the team a few more times and maybe in the playoffs. But I'm guessing Rondo's overall play, be it his driving or passing or rebounding or defense will help the team much more than those few times, even in the playoffs. Other players also have weaknesses that could hurt us in the playoffs, but we have to live with the players we have or replace them. I'm for sticking with Rondo.

[Rondo_is_better]

He'll get better at them. To actually quote Donny Marshall (wow) "The more he makes, the more he makes." Just like his jumpshot, freethrows will slowly improve until they are no longer a problem (mid 70's, probably).

[Tai]

I think some of the blame needs to go on Doc too.  That was a TERRIBLE play call for the end of the game.  Knowing that Rondo is so bad for the line, it doesn't make any sense.  The clippers know that Rondo is bad from the line too, of course youre going to foul if he gets  by you.  They have one of the greatest shooters of all time on the floor in Ray Allen.  ALmost every game winning shot should be set up for him.  We've seen how clutch he is, the play needs to be drawn up for him.  I'm especially tired of the Pierce isolation play at the end of games.  Regardless, Rondo does need to improve his free throwing shooting to at least 65-70% its flat out embarrassing he can't shoot at that percentage.

And THERE is the post that deserves the TP! I am so sick and tired of seeing Rondo try to create off the dribble to get a shot at the end of quarters and in this instance the end of games. Sure PP would have been the one that would have had the ball and been trying to create off the dribble had he been there, but that doesn't mean the next best option was Rondo who everyone knew had no shot at making even one of them. I am a huge supporter of Doc's, however how hard is it to set up a play to get Ray a shot?! How hard is it to get your PG to waste just a little more time before he shoots the ball so that worse case scenario you go into overtime. Rondo didn't have a great game (Baron torched him all night) and definitely needs to work on his free throws to not limit his upside, but the blame was on Doc for not drawing up better plays at the end of the clock.

 I'd dock you a TP if that was possible.  

 Did you seriously just say Rondo shooting a jumpshot, which is also one of his weaknesses in the first place, is preferable to Rondo only have to make 1 out of 2 FTs to take the lead? See the irony of your logic?

So with that, it's clear to me Rondo looked nervous; it's obvious to me he was. The thing is, who can then say stopping at a halt to make a jumpshot when Rondo's not even one of the top 3 options on the floor to make that shot wouldn't have made him nervous too? Whether that was the play or not, he did the right thing to drive. The fact that you're crapping on Rondo for doing that and then Doc for drawing up the play in the first place is astounding. Let's also not forget that Rondo was 2-3 from the FT line that night before he missed those final two FTs.

Anyways, Paul Pierce missed one of two FTs where if he makes both of them, we win Game 1 against Chicago last year and probably don't have to go into a seven game bloodbath with them, and he shot 83% from the line last year.

Last year, Tony Parker missed both FTs where he could've tied the game, and he shot 78% from the line that year.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playbyplay?gameId=290320024

Do you think Pop doesn't want Tony Parker at the line when the Spurs need clutch points? You already just said PP would be there trying to make a play if he was on the floor.

It happens. Why doesn't the team actually finish off weak teams when they're up 10+ in the 3rd so things like this don't have to happen unnecessarily, anyways?

[jdpapa3]

This thread is funny because Rondo has already "panned out." This guy is phenomenal. He'd be unfair if he could shoot because he does everything else better than 99% of the league.

[slamtheking]

Rondo will be fine. I don't really think anyone is accepting his 53% shooting, though. He'll get better.

I have even chatted with a few Laker Fans and they have said that with the Celtics-Lakers matching up man for man, LA will have problems with Rondo.
I'll take Rondo behind door number 18 (and 19?) please

that falls under the category of "well duh".  They may as well say "water is wet".

the only matchup where the Lakers have the advantage is Kobe over Ray.  I'd take Perk over Bynum, KG and Pau are a wash (yes, painful to say but at this point, they're a wash until KG shows more), PP is better than Artest any day of the week and Rondo is far better than Fisher.  Sheed and Odom are a wash but the C's have a far better and deeper bench.


Sorry for going way off topic.

No problem..happens to best of us. I went slightly off topic this tread a few posts ago as well when I stated that Rondo's free throws weren't the only reason we lost last night.

It's all Good.

But to your credit you were a lot closer to the topic than me.

[dark_lord]

rondo's positive attributes FAR outweigh his flaws. 

[cdif911]

Rondo needs to spend more time shooting FT's instead of skateboarding

the Bart Simpson of the NBA...

[dark_lord]

Rondo needs to spend more time shooting FT's instead of skateboarding

correction, its roller skating 

[Spicoli]

I think some of the blame needs to go on Doc too.  That was a TERRIBLE play call for the end of the game.  Knowing that Rondo is so bad for the line, it doesn't make any sense.  The clippers know that Rondo is bad from the line too, of course youre going to foul if he gets  by you.  They have one of the greatest shooters of all time on the floor in Ray Allen.  ALmost every game winning shot should be set up for him.  We've seen how clutch he is, the play needs to be drawn up for him.  I'm especially tired of the Pierce isolation play at the end of games.  Regardless, Rondo does need to improve his free throwing shooting to at least 65-70% its flat out embarrassing he can't shoot at that percentage.

I totally agree. TP.

It's not Rondo's fault that the ball was in his hands at the end. Ray should get the last shot just about every time. That's totally on Doc for not drawing up a play for Ray with the game on the line.

[EJPLAYA]

I think some of the blame needs to go on Doc too.  That was a TERRIBLE play call for the end of the game.  Knowing that Rondo is so bad for the line, it doesn't make any sense.  The clippers know that Rondo is bad from the line too, of course youre going to foul if he gets  by you.  They have one of the greatest shooters of all time on the floor in Ray Allen.  ALmost every game winning shot should be set up for him.  We've seen how clutch he is, the play needs to be drawn up for him.  I'm especially tired of the Pierce isolation play at the end of games.  Regardless, Rondo does need to improve his free throwing shooting to at least 65-70% its flat out embarrassing he can't shoot at that percentage.

And THERE is the post that deserves the TP! I am so sick and tired of seeing Rondo try to create off the dribble to get a shot at the end of quarters and in this instance the end of games. Sure PP would have been the one that would have had the ball and been trying to create off the dribble had he been there, but that doesn't mean the next best option was Rondo who everyone knew had no shot at making even one of them. I am a huge supporter of Doc's, however how hard is it to set up a play to get Ray a shot?! How hard is it to get your PG to waste just a little more time before he shoots the ball so that worse case scenario you go into overtime. Rondo didn't have a great game (Baron torched him all night) and definitely needs to work on his free throws to not limit his upside, but the blame was on Doc for not drawing up better plays at the end of the clock.

 I'd dock you a TP if that was possible.  

 Did you seriously just say Rondo shooting a jumpshot, which is also one of his weaknesses in the first place, is preferable to Rondo only have to make 1 out of 2 FTs to take the lead? See the irony of your logic?

So with that, it's clear to me Rondo looked nervous; it's obvious to me he was. The thing is, who can then say stopping at a halt to make a jumpshot when Rondo's not even one of the top 3 options on the floor to make that shot wouldn't have made him nervous too? Whether that was the play or not, he did the right thing to drive. The fact that you're crapping on Rondo for doing that and then Doc for drawing up the play in the first place is astounding. Let's also not forget that Rondo was 2-3 from the FT line that night before he missed those final two FTs.

Anyways, Paul Pierce missed one of two FTs where if he makes both of them, we win Game 1 against Chicago last year and probably don't have to go into a seven game bloodbath with them, and he shot 83% from the line last year.

Last year, Tony Parker missed both FTs where he could've tied the game, and he shot 78% from the line that year.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playbyplay?gameId=290320024

Do you think Pop doesn't want Tony Parker at the line when the Spurs need clutch points? You already just said PP would be there trying to make a play if he was on the floor.

It happens. Why doesn't the team actually finish off weak teams when they're up 10+ in the 3rd so things like this don't have to happen unnecessarily, anyways?

Man you sure like to try and pick fights, don't you TAI?! How about if we dock YOU a TP for not reading the post. I said the ball should have been in Ray's hands for a drive or jumper. The only way Rondo should have touched the ball is if he was intentionally driving and kicking to an open shooter. Comparing Parker's free throw shooting  (77% this year) at the end of games to Rondo's (52% this year)either means you have no clue what you're talking about, or your point is so weak that you're trying to confuse things by throwing up a bunch of nonsense mixed in. Read the post before you slam someone...

[Spicoli]

Maybe Rondo should start using that little square that's on the backboard. Just make sure you call glass first Rondo.