Rondo is Overrated

[Megatron]

I was considering this thread last night and I started thinking why Rondo has been hesitant to make moves in the last games without Perk.

Is it possible that Rondo is worried about the interior being too difficult/dangerous to penetrate now that Perk is gone?

Nenad isn't a particularly fear-inducing guy so I wouldn't be all that secure that he would be willing to muscle under he basket to clear the lane... If I knew I was going to get decked driving then I probably wouldnt drive as often either!

Kristic is a threat on the offensive end, he spreads the floor.

If anything Rondo should have an easier time penetrating.

[Spicoli]

Rondo infuriates me about 50% of the time i watch him. Do you people see the types of decisions he is making out there? Why is he getting all this hype about having such a high BBall IQ? One against four on a fast break, and he tries to dribble through the crowd and gets stripped? Behind the back passes on a fast break that hits his teammate right on the shoelaces? Shooting jumpshots when nobody is down to get the rebound? Passing up wide open layups to stad pad assist numbers (i thought the goal was to never pass up open shots???). Maybe he normally has a high IQ, but right now the guy is playing dumb, dumb basketball. I also think he is an overrated defender. He can't stay in front of anybody.

[gar]

Rondo is an unique player, with great talent. He also lets the mental part of the game get away from him at times and looses focus. I don't know if it is lack of maturity or just a product of the NBA season (82 Games); but will be good to have a real PG pressuring him in practice and keeping him honest on defense. Like what Arroyo brings to the team, as long as he can fit in.

[Capricious]

What annoys me the most about rondo is his lack of elevation when going to the basket.  We know the kid can jump, but I swear every layup is some flick/scoop below the rim.  Maybe hes having trouble elevating + afraid of getting blocked/fouled - thats why hes throwing those stupid passes when it looks like the better shot was a layup?

[Chris]

What annoys me the most about rondo is his lack of elevation when going to the basket.  We know the kid can jump, but I swear every layup is some flick/scoop below the rim.  Maybe hes having trouble elevating + afraid of getting blocked/fouled - thats why hes throwing those stupid passes when it looks like the better shot was a layup?

I think a lot of it comes from self preservation.  He will go up strong every once in a while, particularly in bigger games, but it seems like he has learned that its not worth risking his body in most of these games.

It can be frustrating to watch, but its probably better for the team to not have him going up stronger and getting thrown to the floor more often. 

[toinewalka]

I haven't read the entire thread, but this thought really bothers me and seems to be popping up.  If PP or KG start to slump, they must be hurt or tired.  If Ray start to slump, everyone writes it off as a shotting slump and says that he'll come around.  Rondo has a couple of "off" games and he goes from a top 5 (most likely 3) point gaurd in the league to overrated?  Did I miss something?  We know his shooting whoas and trouble from the stripe, but he's a great player.  Might be in a little slump, but he'll be fine, and we should just sit back and enjoy the comeback when he puts it together.

[BballTim]

What annoys me the most about rondo is his lack of elevation when going to the basket.  We know the kid can jump, but I swear every layup is some flick/scoop below the rim.  Maybe hes having trouble elevating + afraid of getting blocked/fouled - thats why hes throwing those stupid passes when it looks like the better shot was a layup?

  Anyone else remember the way he used to get knocked around when  he'd go in for those layups, landing hard or awkwardly after a solid bump from a bigger player when he was in the air? Is that really what people are hoping to see a month before the playoffs start?

[Moranis]

Rondo is definately overrated on this board.  I mean there have been a number of threads in which people on this board wouldn't trade him straight up for people like Deron Williams.  I mean come on, seriously.

Rondo is a good PG, but he isn't an elite PG and never will be.  I can say that definitively because Rondo hasn't improved his shooting since he has been in the league.  He is an awful shooter (worst foul shooting of his career by far this year).  His FG% is pretty good because he is excellent at taking the ball to the hole and finishing around the rim, but he is a liability in many respects offensively because he can be left open (including the and 1 situations on the drives).  He is a good defender, but even that is greatly exaggerated on this board.

He isn't a top five PG, and is a borderline top 10 PG right now (I mean if you are building a team for the future you would take Rondo over Nash, but Nash is still better then him, just as an example).  Good but not great, and he greatly benefits from his teammates.  Put him an awful team and his deficiencies would be magnified and would play a much larger role in how he is viewed.  

Simple question, if Rondo and Conley switched teams, who is better?

[BudweiserCeltic]

What annoys me the most about rondo is his lack of elevation when going to the basket.  We know the kid can jump, but I swear every layup is some flick/scoop below the rim.  Maybe hes having trouble elevating + afraid of getting blocked/fouled - thats why hes throwing those stupid passes when it looks like the better shot was a layup?

  Anyone else remember the way he used to get knocked around when  he'd go in for those layups, landing hard or awkwardly after a solid bump from a bigger player when he was in the air? Is that really what people are hoping to see a month before the playoffs start?

Not me at least. Although I would like to see him penetrate more, I don't want him going strong to the basket at this point of the season, though that shouldn't stop him from penetrating and creating a bit more that way.

He's shown in past year more willingness to penetrate during the playoffs, so that is what I'm looking out for.

But he could get a few pointers on what Carlos Arroyo did when on the floor. Each time he had his hands on the ball, he was looking to make something happen. At times I think there's too much time wasted while Rondo is controlling the ball, I want to see more improvement in that aspect of his game.

[feckless]

 But he could get a few pointers on what Carlos Arroyo did when on the floor. Each time he had his hands on the ball, he was looking to make something happen. At times I think there's too much time wasted while Rondo is controlling the ball, I want to see more improvement in that aspect of his game.

You do remember that Arroyo was just waived and that wasn't the 1st time he has been cut--but you really think Rondo could learn from him??  And you saw that in Arroyo's few minutes in a Celtic uniform?


Arroyo is a 3rd string insurance policy--his decision making was only fair the other night and he was trying very hard to please and make a good impression.   

[BballTim]

Rondo is definately overrated on this board.  I mean there have been a number of threads in which people on this board wouldn't trade him straight up for people like Deron Williams.  I mean come on, seriously.

Rondo is a good PG, but he isn't an elite PG and never will be.  I can say that definitively because Rondo hasn't improved his shooting since he has been in the league.  He is an awful shooter (worst foul shooting of his career by far this year).  His FG% is pretty good because he is excellent at taking the ball to the hole and finishing around the rim, but he is a liability in many respects offensively because he can be left open (including the and 1 situations on the drives).  He is a good defender, but even that is greatly exaggerated on this board.

He isn't a top five PG, and is a borderline top 10 PG right now (I mean if you are building a team for the future you would take Rondo over Nash, but Nash is still better then him, just as an example).  Good but not great, and he greatly benefits from his teammates.  Put him an awful team and his deficiencies would be magnified and would play a much larger role in how he is viewed.  

Simple question, if Rondo and Conley switched teams, who is better?

  Rondo's better than Conley in any and all situations. Just because your main criteria for judging point guards is shooting doesn't mean that people who disagree with you overrate Rondo. I'm sure that if you've ever seen Rondo dominate playoff games your first response was either "Conley could easily do the same thing" or "clearly he's not playing that well because he's not a good outside shooter". But the fact is that he does dominate games in the regular season and (more frequently) in the playoffs in spite of his shooting woes.

  Could a player as poor as you think Rondo is average close to a triple double for consecutive playoff series, or average 21/6/12 in a series against a top 5 defense? Or is your point that practically any point guard can do the same thing? If he's borderline top ten then you should easily be able to name 7-8 other pgs that have shown themselves to be capable of better, right?

[BudweiserCeltic]

 But he could get a few pointers on what Carlos Arroyo did when on the floor. Each time he had his hands on the ball, he was looking to make something happen. At times I think there's too much time wasted while Rondo is controlling the ball, I want to see more improvement in that aspect of his game.

You do remember that Arroyo was just waived and that wasn't the 1st time he has been cut--but you really think Rondo could learn from him??  And you saw that in Arroyo's few minutes in a Celtic uniform?


Arroyo is a 3rd string insurance policy--his decision making was only fair the other night and he was trying very hard to please and make a good impression.   

Ignoring all the irrelevant "facts" you threw out there, it doesn't take away from the fact on what he did on the court on that particular night.

And Arroyo isn't a fruit player, he knows the game, he's a vet who's played in quite a few big games in his life. So yeah, he has things to offer.

[BballTim]

 But he could get a few pointers on what Carlos Arroyo did when on the floor. Each time he had his hands on the ball, he was looking to make something happen. At times I think there's too much time wasted while Rondo is controlling the ball, I want to see more improvement in that aspect of his game.

You do remember that Arroyo was just waived and that wasn't the 1st time he has been cut--but you really think Rondo could learn from him??  And you saw that in Arroyo's few minutes in a Celtic uniform?


Arroyo is a 3rd string insurance policy--his decision making was only fair the other night and he was trying very hard to please and make a good impression.   

Ignoring all the irrelevant "facts" you threw out there, it doesn't take away from the fact on what he did on the court on that particular night.

And Arroyo isn't a fruit player, he knows the game, he's a vet who's played in quite a few big games in his life. So yeah, he has things to offer.

  I can't imagine he's played in anywhere near as many big games as Rondo. However, I'd rather Rondo "pick up a few pointer" from Arroyo than some of our other late season vet pg pickups.

[BudweiserCeltic]

 But he could get a few pointers on what Carlos Arroyo did when on the floor. Each time he had his hands on the ball, he was looking to make something happen. At times I think there's too much time wasted while Rondo is controlling the ball, I want to see more improvement in that aspect of his game.

You do remember that Arroyo was just waived and that wasn't the 1st time he has been cut--but you really think Rondo could learn from him??  And you saw that in Arroyo's few minutes in a Celtic uniform?


Arroyo is a 3rd string insurance policy--his decision making was only fair the other night and he was trying very hard to please and make a good impression.   

Ignoring all the irrelevant "facts" you threw out there, it doesn't take away from the fact on what he did on the court on that particular night.

And Arroyo isn't a fruit player, he knows the game, he's a vet who's played in quite a few big games in his life. So yeah, he has things to offer.

  I can't imagine he's played in anywhere near as many big games as Rondo. However, I'd rather Rondo "pick up a few pointer" from Arroyo than some of our other late season vet pg pickups.

Well, you can't forget that Arroyo was the best player in Puerto Rico's international team, and to them International Basketball is more important than NBA players who until recently haven't taken those games seriously.

Anyways, main problem with Arroyo has rarely been a skill/ability standpoint, it's mainly been from an immaturity standpoint. He's a fairly good playmaker, but honestly, he's been an arrogant jackass for the good part of his adult career.

[Bankshot]

 But he could get a few pointers on what Carlos Arroyo did when on the floor. Each time he had his hands on the ball, he was looking to make something happen. At times I think there's too much time wasted while Rondo is controlling the ball, I want to see more improvement in that aspect of his game.

You do remember that Arroyo was just waived and that wasn't the 1st time he has been cut--but you really think Rondo could learn from him??  And you saw that in Arroyo's few minutes in a Celtic uniform?


Arroyo is a 3rd string insurance policy--his decision making was only fair the other night and he was trying very hard to please and make a good impression.   

Ignoring all the irrelevant "facts" you threw out there, it doesn't take away from the fact on what he did on the court on that particular night.

And Arroyo isn't a fruit player, he knows the game, he's a vet who's played in quite a few big games in his life. So yeah, he has things to offer.

  I can't imagine he's played in anywhere near as many big games as Rondo. However, I'd rather Rondo "pick up a few pointer" from Arroyo than some of our other late season vet pg pickups.

Well, you can't forget that Arroyo was the best player in Puerto Rico's international team, and to them International Basketball is more important than NBA players who until recently haven't taken those games seriously.

Anyways, main problem with Arroyo has rarely been a skill/ability standpoint, it's mainly been from an immaturity standpoint. He's a fairly good playmaker, but honestly, he's been an arrogant jackass for the good part of his adult career.

Really?  How so?  I hadn't heard anything like that about him.