Rondo Should Attack Kobe Early, Get Him in Foul Trouble

[footey]

Kobe's coverage of Rondo has really hurt us. He is masterful at slacking off, and covering other guys, completely disrespecting Rondo's outside shot. Rondo should attack the lane every chance, early, Kobe having no choice but to defend him. Rondo is so much quicker, he should be able to get two quick fouls on Kobe. Take a page out of Paul Pierce book and draw the foul.  Then, either Kobe comes out early, or he switches with Fisher. Win win for us.  I know it is game 7, and the refs are going to be extra careful not to become a factor, but with Rondo's speed and guile, he is quite capable of pulling this off.

Thoughts?

[Fafnir]

Kobe has been in foul trouble only once this series really, playing so far off Rondo helps him avoid cheap ones.

Expecting the refs to give him two quick fouls in a game 7 in LA is a lot to ask....

[wdleehi]

The only way for Rondo to do this is without the ball.  He needs to cut hard when the ball is in the low post.  Kobe tends to overreact. 


Kobe will play to far off Rondo to beat him the other way. 

[reggie35]

The only way for Rondo to do this is without the ball.  He needs to cut hard when the ball is in the low post.  Kobe tends to overreact. 


Kobe will play to far off Rondo to beat him the other way. 

I agree with this. Rondo did a good job in Game 2 of cutting to the hoop when Kobe was looking elsewhere. They need to get back to that. Rondo also has to make some layups.

There's no way Kobe gets in foul trouble in this game. The whistles will be few and far between.

[connerhenry43]

you may see jack nicholson in a pierce jersey before you see kobe in foul trouble tonight.

[FallGuy]

you may see jack nicholson in a pierce jersey before you see kobe in foul trouble tonight.

Correct-a-mundo.

[wdleehi]

you may see jack nicholson in a pierce jersey before you see kobe in foul trouble tonight.

Correct-a-mundo.

Is it wrong that I hope that Baby, while saving a ball, land on Jack tonight?  Hard.

[twinbree]

you may see jack nicholson in a pierce jersey before you see kobe in foul trouble tonight.

Correct-a-mundo.

Is it wrong that I hope that Baby, while saving a ball, land on Jack tonight?  Hard.

And drools all over him? No not wrong at all.

[Chris]

With Kobe playing 10 feet off of Rondo, they cannot have him just dribbling into Kobe as he sits in the lane.  It just won't work.  In the open court, yes, attack, but in the halfcourt, Rondo is going to have to be playing off the ball, looking for holes in the "zone", and exploiting them by hitting the layups he gets, and finding the open men, when the defense collapses, after he catches the ball in the paint.  He is also going to have to exploit the lack of attention by grabbing offensive rebounds.

I think if the C's are going to win, they are going to need Rondo to grab 10+ rebounds, and I think at least 5 of them are going to be offensive.

[FallGuy]

With Kobe playing 10 feet off of Rondo, they cannot have him just dribbling into Kobe as he sits in the lane.  It just won't work.  In the open court, yes, attack, but in the halfcourt, Rondo is going to have to be playing off the ball, looking for holes in the "zone", and exploiting them by hitting the layups he gets, and finding the open men, when the defense collapses, after he catches the ball in the paint.  He is also going to have to exploit the lack of attention by grabbing offensive rebounds.

I think if the C's are going to win, they are going to need Rondo to grab 10+ rebounds, and I think at least 5 of them are going to be offensive.

Boy, it really is a huge game for him, isn't it? If he doesn't come up big, it's going to be a rough offseason of stories about his failings. Did you see the article in the Globe this morning?

When they got back to the hotel, Rondo went to Perkins’s room to check on his best friend. But Perkins didn’t want to talk about his knee. He wanted to talk about Rondo’s game.

“He asked me how I was doing; I told him,’’ said Perkins. “Then after that, we got back to the game situation. I told him what I think he needed to do better.’’

Perkins had watched the game, seeing Rondo miss 10 of 15 shots and essentially disappear when the Celtics had a chance to put away Los Angeles.

Rondo, more than anyone, was angry at himself for missing layups and losing the aggressiveness that had fueled the Celtics through most of this playoff run.

“We’re sitting in the room, we talked for like two to three hours,’’ Perkins said. “Sometimes, after a loss like that, a guy just needs to come in and let things off his chest.’’

Rondo was typically nonchalant before practice yesterday, but facing Game 7 tonight, he acknowledged this was the biggest game of his career.

“I put a lot on myself,’’ Rondo said. “I think it depends on me.’’

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2010/06/17/rondo_cant_afford_to_be_missing_person/

[makaveli]

We need Rondo to be a defensive force, that does more good to us than his inconsistent offense. When he rebounds, gets a couple of  steals, forces turnovers, forces guys to work we get stops and offense usually follows.
D up

[Chris]

With Kobe playing 10 feet off of Rondo, they cannot have him just dribbling into Kobe as he sits in the lane.  It just won't work.  In the open court, yes, attack, but in the halfcourt, Rondo is going to have to be playing off the ball, looking for holes in the "zone", and exploiting them by hitting the layups he gets, and finding the open men, when the defense collapses, after he catches the ball in the paint.  He is also going to have to exploit the lack of attention by grabbing offensive rebounds.

I think if the C's are going to win, they are going to need Rondo to grab 10+ rebounds, and I think at least 5 of them are going to be offensive.

Boy, it really is a huge game for him, isn't it? If he doesn't come up big, it's going to be a rough offseason of stories about his failings. Did you see the article in the Globe this morning?

When they got back to the hotel, Rondo went to Perkins’s room to check on his best friend. But Perkins didn’t want to talk about his knee. He wanted to talk about Rondo’s game.

“He asked me how I was doing; I told him,’’ said Perkins. “Then after that, we got back to the game situation. I told him what I think he needed to do better.’’

Perkins had watched the game, seeing Rondo miss 10 of 15 shots and essentially disappear when the Celtics had a chance to put away Los Angeles.

Rondo, more than anyone, was angry at himself for missing layups and losing the aggressiveness that had fueled the Celtics through most of this playoff run.

“We’re sitting in the room, we talked for like two to three hours,’’ Perkins said. “Sometimes, after a loss like that, a guy just needs to come in and let things off his chest.’’

Rondo was typically nonchalant before practice yesterday, but facing Game 7 tonight, he acknowledged this was the biggest game of his career.

“I put a lot on myself,’’ Rondo said. “I think it depends on me.’’

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2010/06/17/rondo_cant_afford_to_be_missing_person/

Well, it's true.  While this game can't break his career, it can launch it to another level.  If he stinks, he probably disappears a bit from the national spotlight, and goes back to just being another one of the second or third tier stars.  If he has a great game, and they win, particulary if he gets the MVP, suddenly he will be bordering on superstar status.

[Eddie20]

The over/under on Kobe's fouls tonight has to be about 2. There is no way he sits because of fouls. I just hope that same treatment is given to KG, Pierce, and Allen.

[FallGuy]

With Kobe playing 10 feet off of Rondo, they cannot have him just dribbling into Kobe as he sits in the lane.  It just won't work.  In the open court, yes, attack, but in the halfcourt, Rondo is going to have to be playing off the ball, looking for holes in the "zone", and exploiting them by hitting the layups he gets, and finding the open men, when the defense collapses, after he catches the ball in the paint.  He is also going to have to exploit the lack of attention by grabbing offensive rebounds.

I think if the C's are going to win, they are going to need Rondo to grab 10+ rebounds, and I think at least 5 of them are going to be offensive.

Boy, it really is a huge game for him, isn't it? If he doesn't come up big, it's going to be a rough offseason of stories about his failings. Did you see the article in the Globe this morning?

When they got back to the hotel, Rondo went to Perkins’s room to check on his best friend. But Perkins didn’t want to talk about his knee. He wanted to talk about Rondo’s game.

“He asked me how I was doing; I told him,’’ said Perkins. “Then after that, we got back to the game situation. I told him what I think he needed to do better.’’

Perkins had watched the game, seeing Rondo miss 10 of 15 shots and essentially disappear when the Celtics had a chance to put away Los Angeles.

Rondo, more than anyone, was angry at himself for missing layups and losing the aggressiveness that had fueled the Celtics through most of this playoff run.

“We’re sitting in the room, we talked for like two to three hours,’’ Perkins said. “Sometimes, after a loss like that, a guy just needs to come in and let things off his chest.’’

Rondo was typically nonchalant before practice yesterday, but facing Game 7 tonight, he acknowledged this was the biggest game of his career.

“I put a lot on myself,’’ Rondo said. “I think it depends on me.’’

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2010/06/17/rondo_cant_afford_to_be_missing_person/

Well, it's true.  While this game can't break his career, it can launch it to another level.  If he stinks, he probably disappears a bit from the national spotlight, and goes back to just being another one of the second or third tier stars.  If he has a great game, and they win, particulary if he gets the MVP, suddenly he will be bordering on superstar status.

It's a wild night for legacies. Besides Rondo:

Ray, Paul and Kevin can define their places in history, unequivocally, regardless of what happens in the future, with a win tonight against L.A.

Kobe can inch closer to Jordan and further build his myth with a dominating game.

Pau can put the soft label to bed forever with a big game or give it life if he falters.

Doc can position himself as one of the top couple of coaches in the league if he wins tonight.

[wiley]

I hope Rondo doesn't try to score 25 points....I'd like him to have a triple double tonight:  15 10 and 10