Rondo at usa Practice

[Who]

Rondo/Billups/Durant/Odom/Lopez

Thats the lineup that i’m digging right now.

I’ve seen that group in the camp and I like the way they talk and move together. Rondo, Billups, and Durant seem to really work well together.

That frontcourt is very nice but I hate the idea of Rondo being stuck playing alongside another point guard (Billups). Those two are going to limit one another. Bad combination.

[guava_wrench]

Rondo/Billups/Durant/Odom/Lopez

Thats the lineup that i’m digging right now.

I’ve seen that group in the camp and I like the way they talk and move together. Rondo, Billups, and Durant seem to really work well together.

That frontcourt is very nice but I hate the idea of Rondo being stuck playing alongside another point guard (Billups). Those two are going to limit one another. Bad combination.

You can't see Billups as a 2?

Defense is more important anyway, and they can always use Rondo's pressure, regardless of who is also in the backcourt.

[LooseCannon]

Rondo making the team isn't a given, but who is there on the roster who is a potential free agent in 2012 that Rondo should be encouraging to come to Boston?

It's all about networking these days.

[Who]

Rondo/Billups/Durant/Odom/Lopez

Thats the lineup that i’m digging right now.

I’ve seen that group in the camp and I like the way they talk and move together. Rondo, Billups, and Durant seem to really work well together.

That frontcourt is very nice but I hate the idea of Rondo being stuck playing alongside another point guard (Billups). Those two are going to limit one another. Bad combination.

You can't see Billups as a 2?

Defense is more important anyway, and they can always use Rondo's pressure, regardless of who is also in the backcourt.

No, I think it's a waste.

Both players would play better without the other's presence. As would the rest of the lineup.

[birdwatcher]

Not to sound unpatriotic, but I think Rondo playing for team USA is a waste. Please rest, and when you are gonna practice, let it be at the line or working on your pull up jumpers. We don't want him to get hurt or run out of gas early this season as he had barely enough juice in the finals. It is a nice honor however.

[RJ87]

Rondo making the team isn't a given, but who is there on the roster who is a potential free agent in 2012 that Rondo should be encouraging to come to Boston?

It's all about networking these days.

Hmm... maybe he can make a "pact" with Durant, and all of a sudden, we'll see KD demanding to be traded in 2012 to Boston.... ah, I like my fantasy world.

[Who]

Out of the players in that scrimmage, here is the team I'd like to see selected:

C -- Brook Lopez + Tyson Chandler + L.Odom
PF -- Kevin Durant + Kevin Love
SF -- Danny Granger + Iguodala
SG -- Rudy Gay + Eric Gordon
PG -- Steph Curry + D.Rose + Westbrook

I wouldn't go near Chauncey Billups (too slow), OJ Mayo (mediocre SG), Jeff Green (mediocre PF, poor PF) or Gerald Wallace (too limited offensively at SF, decent PF). My understanding is that Tyreke Evans is injured but I wouldn't select him if he were healthy either. He needs to learn how to play with other talented players first. Nor JaVale McGee, he is too raw to make the cut (poor defender).

Lamar Odom is a more difficult call. I like what he was doing defensively but I hated his passive play offensively. The team had no inside presence when Odom was at center because he was out at the three point line acting a stand still passer. No movement. No cuts to the rim. Nobody below 15 feet for the team. Horrible offensive play. I would love to leave him at home but I think the team needs a fifth big man so I'd select him as the 12th man just to provide some big man insurance.

Rajon Rondo would be touch and go. For me, it's between Rondo and Rose for that primary backup PG spot.

[KCattheStripe]

Out of the players in that scrimmage, here is the team I'd like to see selected:

C -- Brook Lopez + Tyson Chandler + L.Odom
PF -- Kevin Durant + Kevin Love
SF -- Danny Granger + Iguodala
SG -- Rudy Gay + Eric Gordon
PG -- Steph Curry + D.Rose + Westbrook

I wouldn't go near Chauncey Billups (too slow), OJ Mayo (mediocre SG), Jeff Green (mediocre PF, poor PF) or Gerald Wallace (too limited offensively at SF, decent PF). My understanding is that Tyreke Evans is injured but I wouldn't select him if he were healthy either. He needs to learn how to play with other talented players first. Nor JaVale McGee, he is too raw to make the cut (poor defender).

Lamar Odom is a more difficult call. I like what he was doing defensively but I hated his passive play offensively. The team had no inside presence when Odom was at center because he was out at the three point line acting a stand still passer. No movement. No cuts to the rim. Nobody below 15 feet for the team. Horrible offensive play. I would love to leave him at home but I think the team needs a fifth big man so I'd select him as the 12th man just to provide some big man insurance.

Rajon Rondo would be touch and go. For me, it's between Rondo and Rose for that primary backup PG spot.

A universe in which  Rondo backs up Steph Curry on a team that is going to be pressing defensively and operating in the open court is a scary place.

[winsomme]

Out of the players in that scrimmage, here is the team I'd like to see selected:

C -- Brook Lopez + Tyson Chandler + L.Odom
PF -- Kevin Durant + Kevin Love
SF -- Danny Granger + Iguodala
SG -- Rudy Gay + Eric Gordon
PG -- Steph Curry + D.Rose + Westbrook

I wouldn't go near Chauncey Billups (too slow), OJ Mayo (mediocre SG), Jeff Green (mediocre PF, poor PF) or Gerald Wallace (too limited offensively at SF, decent PF). My understanding is that Tyreke Evans is injured but I wouldn't select him if he were healthy either. He needs to learn how to play with other talented players first. Nor JaVale McGee, he is too raw to make the cut (poor defender).

Lamar Odom is a more difficult call. I like what he was doing defensively but I hated his passive play offensively. The team had no inside presence when Odom was at center because he was out at the three point line acting a stand still passer. No movement. No cuts to the rim. Nobody below 15 feet for the team. Horrible offensive play. I would love to leave him at home but I think the team needs a fifth big man so I'd select him as the 12th man just to provide some big man insurance.

Rajon Rondo would be touch and go. For me, it's between Rondo and Rose for that primary backup PG spot.

I would not be in favor of a Steph Curry led offense. He needs to move to SG and bump Gordon. I'd also bump Rose for Rondo. Rondo is much better at running a team.

As for the bigs, I'd move KD to the wing and bump Gay and then grab another big. pretty thin for rebounding and protecting the rim right now....

[twinbree]

Rondo making the team isn't a given, but who is there on the roster who is a potential free agent in 2012 that Rondo should be encouraging to come to Boston?

It's all about networking these days.

I don't know if Granger is a FA in 2012 but I could have sworn I saw him give Rondo an big old-fashioned bear hug after scrimmage yesterday which he didn't give anyone else. Maybe Rajon started recruiting already  

[jdpapa3]

Rondo needs to be on this team. Sure his shooting is not very good, but you need to consider that Jason Kidd is something ridiculous like 60-0 in international play.

[lon3lytoaster]

Chandler/Lopez/Odom
Durant/Granger
Igoudala/Gay
Billups/Mayo/Curry
Rose/Rondo

Maybe bump Gay for Kevin Love because of his redundancy to Igoudala.

[winsomme]

Chandler/Lopez/Odom
Durant/Granger
Igoudala/Gay
Billups/Mayo/Curry
Rose/Rondo

Maybe bump Gay for Kevin Love because of his redundancy to Igoudala.

yeah you need Love and Westbrook....

[lon3lytoaster]

Chandler/Lopez/Odom
Durant/Granger
Igoudala/Gay
Billups/Mayo/Curry
Rose/Rondo

Maybe bump Gay for Kevin Love because of his redundancy to Igoudala.

yeah you need Love and Westbrook....

I'm not in love with Westbrook. I don't think he does anything better than Rondo, Rose or Billups. Ideally, I'd like Tyreke Evans in there, and use a three PG rotation. He's got an injury and that makes it unlikely, though.

Sure, the press would be ridiculous with Rondo and Westbrook in there together but their combined lack of shooting would probably hurt in the long run.

So in the end, I'd just take the best shooter of the lot in Curry at the two and bump Westbrook all together.

[BballTim]

Rondo needs to be on this team. Sure his shooting is not very good, but you need to consider that Jason Kidd is something ridiculous like 60-0 in international play.

  I agree. From watching the scrimmage the team's young and they don't seem to have any forwards that can run an offense like LeBron or PP could. They didn't look like they'll really be a cohesive offense without Rondo.