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

[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?

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...

That's what you meant by "setting up a play for Ray"?  We did that last time, and Ray missed the shot. Rondo may have also been looking to pass, but no one was open, or no one would double Rondo, so Rondo simply drove to the hoop. Oh well.

[celtichead]

Am i the only one who remembers Rondo is 23 and still improving his game? He does so many things well, that it is sad that we pick on his biggest flaw which he is trying to improve every day.  My memory bank tells me that our 53% franchise pg helped lead us to a ring 2 yrs ago, so he has my faith 100%

[KG_ended_Bias]

Everyone is missing 1 HUGE key in Rondo missing the free-throws! He has hands as big as NBA centers! People with extremely large hands that can basically cover the whole ball has problems putting touch on the ball. Try shooting on a nerf basketball hoop as a adult from NBA free-throw line distance and see if you shoot 90%. It would be pretty difficult because your strength takes over from the touch you place on the rotation. It is not a coincidence Most NBA centers are poor FT shooters, it is just too bad for us that Rondo has big center sized hands as a PG. But those same hands helps us as far as rebounding, steals, assist etc. Its his biggest asset if you ask me except for the foul shot. The only way his FT gets better in my opinion is that he shoots a rainbow high arching type FT thats not so flat.

[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...

That's what you meant by "setting up a play for Ray"?  We did that last time, and Ray missed the shot. Rondo may have also been looking to pass, but no one was open, or no one would double Rondo, so Rondo simply drove to the hoop. Oh well.

That's right. Ray isn't 100% from the floor. Let's not give him the ball. Let's instead give it to a guy who is missing half of his free throws and I don't think has EVER hit game winning free throws. Forget the lock Hall of Famer… Come on Tai. Just be honest that you just want to argue. You don't believe that this was a better option. Be serious.

[arctic 3.0]

glad rondo had the ball in the crunch. shows he's got the cohone's to  be clutch.  practice makes perfect. i'm confident he will develop into a deadly end game player.

[BASS_THUMPER]

ill pick a vet over a wet behind  the ears young buck all day every day..

sheed..knows when he can use a dude..he proved it yesterday..used him like klenexx

[BASS_THUMPER]

glad rondo had the ball in the crunch. shows he's got the cohone's to  be clutch.  practice makes perfect. i'm confident he will develop into a deadly end game player.

clutch to me is hittin that big 3pt....

oh yeah...hittin ya FREE throws...

[celtichead]

ill pick a vet over a wet behind  the ears young buck all day every day..

sheed..knows when he can use a dude..he proved it yesterday..used him like klenexx

Yes he did, the he reverted back to playing lazy ball.. Everyone has flaws...

[BballTim]

glad rondo had the ball in the crunch. shows he's got the cohone's to  be clutch.  practice makes perfect. i'm confident he will develop into a deadly end game player.

clutch to me is hittin that big 3pt....

oh yeah...hittin ya FREE throws...

  Rondo makes plenty of clutch plays.

[scoop]

I agree it's unacceptable. If the current regime isn't working, then the Cs should hire a free-throw shooting coach, a reputed specialist like Palubinskas for example, and "ask" Rondo to work with him. Even Shaq shot his free-throws at nearly 70% when he was properly coached.

[BASS_THUMPER]

glad rondo had the ball in the crunch. shows he's got the cohone's to  be clutch.  practice makes perfect. i'm confident he will develop into a deadly end game player.

clutch to me is hittin that big 3pt....

oh yeah...hittin ya FREE throws...

  Rondo makes plenty of clutch plays.

yeah with a hand in his face and contact..

but free throws?...

[Evantime34]

I feel like this is an over reaction, he is a young player who is becoming a better shooter as he gets older. His free throw shooting will improve, just as his shooting will.

When he got fouled I knew he was going to miss the first one. He looked so nervous at the line. I assumed the next shot would miss but I hoped it wouldn't. I think Rondo was also hoping he didn't miss, not expecting to make it.

[nickagneta]

I agree it's unacceptable. If the current regime isn't working, then the Cs should hire a free-throw shooting coach, a reputed specialist like Palubinskas for example, and "ask" Rondo to work with him. Even Shaq shot his free-throws at nearly 70% when he was properly coached.

When exactly did Shaq ever shoot 70% from the line in a season? Did I miss something?

He once shot 62% in one year. One!! Other than that he's a 53% FT shooter his whole life. I don't call one year at 62% good coaching. I call it a statistical aberration. I call it a career year. One that was a whole 2.7 percentage points higher than his second highest year.

If that was good coaching his increase in shooting percentage would have stuck. Over the next 5 years it was never above 50%.


Rondo got shooting coaching and instruction from Mark Price, a great shooter. He has Ray Allen on his team and a great coaching staff at his disposal. Give him time. It's only December. He shot 38% from the line in November and 61% from the line in December. I think improvement is coming. Mark Price even said in an interview that we would notice the difference in his shooting towards the end of the year, not the beginning. Rondo has never done anything for me not to trust him, his talent or his work ethic. I expect improvement and am willing to be patient with him.

[kozlodoev]

I feel like this is an over reaction, he is a young player who is becoming a better shooter as he gets older. His free throw shooting will improve, just as his shooting will.

Yeah, just ask Eric Snow.

[KG_ended_Bias]

I said it in a above atatement, his hands are too BIG to be a great FT shooter. Which puts him in the Center category so dont expect more than a career 60-65% shooter at best. He doesnt have little hands like Mark Price, he needs instruction from someone with the same problem.