Lebron guarding Rondo?

[jsingh1699]

if lebron starts covering rondo, do you think he'll shut down rondo's penetration and effectiveness? you would think then pierce would take advantage of anthony parker, which he probably would, but i dont think that would be enough to take over the game the way rondo does. thoughts?

[Who]

Paul Pierce will eat Anthony Parker + Jamario Moon alive. It'll be very difficult for Mike Brown to keep LeBron off of him once he starts going on a scoring spree. So any Bron on Rondo matchup would likely only be short lived.

Anyway, I don't think the worry is LeBron defending Rondo ... the worry is Jamario Moon defending Rondo with LeBron staying on Pierce and Delonte West taking Ray Allen.

Moon has the size, length and quickness to slow Rondo down some + just as importantly, allows Cleveland to leave it's two best stoppers on Pierce and Ray. This is the matchup I don't want see. Combine those three with Hickson (Perk) and Varejao (Garnett) and the Celtics offense would be facing a lot more difficult matchups.

[Mr October]

if lebron starts covering rondo, do you think he'll shut down rondo's penetration and effectiveness? you would think then pierce would take advantage of anthony parker, which he probably would, but i dont think that would be enough to take over the game the way rondo does. thoughts?

Oh yeah, if Lebron checks Rondo, its Paul Pierce time. And the Cavs would be in trouble. I think the Cavs need to keep Lebron on the Celtics most dangerous scorer. Pierce is more than capable of going off in this series on Lebron, never mind Moon or Parker.

However, i think it would be effective to throw Lebron on Rondo in spurts to disrupt Boston's flow. Pierce could be temporarily baited into trying to do too much. But the key is to only do it in spurts, otherwise Paul will destroy them.

[Bahku]

if lebron starts covering rondo, do you think he'll shut down rondo's penetration and effectiveness? you would think then pierce would take advantage of anthony parker, which he probably would, but i dont think that would be enough to take over the game the way rondo does. thoughts?

Yeah ... I heard the report this morning, too, that the Cavs were considering this ... the only problem for them is that if the do put the Queen on Rage, either Pierce or Ray are going to go crazy on them, (which they may do anyway). Personally, if I were their coach I would not consider it ,,, Rondo is far too fast for LeBron, and would burn him on the pick-and-roll. I don't think it will happen, or if it does, it won't last too long.

[MMacOH]

Pierce or Ray going crazy is fine.  Rondo is scoring 20 pts a game and dishing out double digit assists.  He is accounting for around 40% of Boston's offense.  Shutting him down is the key to the Cav's success.

Pierce can go off all he wants, but I would much rather see Pierce try and go one on one all night and put up 50 points then have Rondo getting the whole team involved.

[Brendan]

Pierce or Ray going crazy is fine.  Rondo is scoring 20 pts a game and dishing out double digit assists.  He is accounting for around 40% of Boston's offense.  Shutting him down is the key to the Cav's success.

Pierce can go off all he wants, but I would much rather see Pierce try and go one on one all night and put up 50 points then have Rondo getting the whole team involved.

Unlike Lebron - Pierce has a much more varried offensive attack, including his pull up, 3pt, and post game. Additionally I don't think this is Kobe in 2008 (which didn't work anyways) Lebron is going to get leveled by a few Perk screens if he's running full speed to cover Rondo.

[GreenFaith1819]

I think that Lebron would be a little effective on Rondo, but it would tire him out sooner. Rondo is a load, and he is better at penetrating and dishing. As great a defender as Lebron is, this would be too much energy for him to use on just Rondo.

CLE needs Lebron's Offensive Punch more than anything else, I think.

Interesting concept, though. Roy Hobbs pointed out a similar situation a week or so ago in a different thread if we meet LA, with Kobe guarding Rondo in such a series.

[MMacOH]

Pierce or Ray going crazy is fine.  Rondo is scoring 20 pts a game and dishing out double digit assists.  He is accounting for around 40% of Boston's offense.  Shutting him down is the key to the Cav's success.

Pierce can go off all he wants, but I would much rather see Pierce try and go one on one all night and put up 50 points then have Rondo getting the whole team involved.

Unlike Lebron - Pierce has a much more varried offensive attack, including his pull up, 3pt, and post game.

I find this sentence humorous. 

[MMacOH]

I think that Lebron would be a little effective on Rondo, but it would tire him out sooner. Rondo is a load, and he is better at penetrating and dishing. As great a defender as Lebron is, this would be too much energy for him to use on just Rondo.

CLE needs Lebron's Offensive Punch more than anything else, I think.

Interesting concept, though. Roy Hobbs pointed out a similar situation a week or so ago in a different thread if we meet LA, with Kobe guarding Rondo in such a series.

I don't think he would cover Rondo all game.  Maybe just the 4th quarter or earlier if the game starts to get away from the Cavs

[Chris]

I think that Lebron would be a little effective on Rondo, but it would tire him out sooner. Rondo is a load, and he is better at penetrating and dishing. As great a defender as Lebron is, this would be too much energy for him to use on just Rondo.

CLE needs Lebron's Offensive Punch more than anything else, I think.

Interesting concept, though. Roy Hobbs pointed out a similar situation a week or so ago in a different thread if we meet LA, with Kobe guarding Rondo in such a series.

I don't think he would cover Rondo all game.  Maybe just the 4th quarter or earlier if the game starts to get away from the Cavs

I agree, I think it would be a change up.

My money would be that he comes out covering him either to start the game, or at the beginning of the second half, but in either case, I think it would only be for a stretch.

[GreenFaith1819]

I think that Lebron would be a little effective on Rondo, but it would tire him out sooner. Rondo is a load, and he is better at penetrating and dishing. As great a defender as Lebron is, this would be too much energy for him to use on just Rondo.

CLE needs Lebron's Offensive Punch more than anything else, I think.

Interesting concept, though. Roy Hobbs pointed out a similar situation a week or so ago in a different thread if we meet LA, with Kobe guarding Rondo in such a series.

I don't think he would cover Rondo all game.  Maybe just the 4th quarter or earlier if the game starts to get away from the Cavs

Good Point. But I think that even if the scenario you presented above happens, that would leave Pierce open, and Pierce is due for a Big Game here soon.

What I find interesting so far is that Mo Williams hasn't been able to slow Rondo down. I always considered Mo one of the better PGs in the league, top 7-8, IMO.

I'm just glad that Rondo has picked it up this series.

[j804]

Another match up that might be thrown out there, Powe on Garnett?

It would make it difficult for garnett in the post, but Powe is slow

[GreenFaith1819]

Another match up that might be thrown out there, Powe on Garnett?

It would make it difficult for garnett in the post, but Powe is slow

Wow, j804 - you brought back memories mentioned Powe.

I'm rather glad that he hasn't appeared this series. I still miss the man.

Once Powe got going, he proved to be a load down low, though, and has a knack for getting to the foul line.

IMO, Powe probably has the most polished post game (besides Shaqtus) on the CLE squad.

[RAcker]

Another match up that might be thrown out there, Powe on Garnett?

It would make it difficult for garnett in the post, but Powe is slow

Considering he's in street clothes, I don't think this is likely to happen.

[Brendan]

Pierce or Ray going crazy is fine.  Rondo is scoring 20 pts a game and dishing out double digit assists.  He is accounting for around 40% of Boston's offense.  Shutting him down is the key to the Cav's success.

Pierce can go off all he wants, but I would much rather see Pierce try and go one on one all night and put up 50 points then have Rondo getting the whole team involved.

Unlike Lebron - Pierce has a much more varried offensive attack, including his pull up, 3pt, and post game.

I find this sentence humorous.  

Lebron is monstrously effective and efficient - but he does so by getting to the rim or getting to the rim and kicking it out, or getting to the rim and dumping it off.

Pierce has a more varried offensive game - if he gets Parker on him, he won't be doing ISO 1:1 dribbling. He'll be posting him up on passes from Rondo or KG.

I don't see Lebron as having a developed post game or consistent deep shot yet - but I don't watch him except when he plays the C's so tell me if I'm wrong.