Can A Person Be In A "Setting Up the Offense" Slump?

[Vermont Green]

Adjustments.

Teams have figured out that they can lay off Rondo and use his man to clog lanes and double team.  They go under (way under) all picks.  Teams have universally adjusted.

If Rondo is going to be successful, he is now going to have to adjust but because he can't shoot, it has been really hard for him to adjust to this.  He is probably worn down and beat up some as well adding to his difficulty.

I don't think this is a slump.  I think it is more of a wall he is hitting that he is going to have to get past.  Teams have taken his game away with the sag defense; now Rondo needs to take his game back.

[Marcus13]

He's clearly going through something mentally.  His mind isn't on the game at all.  He is approaching the game the same way millions of Americans approach their jobs on a daily basis.

Maybe's he upset about Perk, maybe there's something going on in his personal life...I don't know - but clearly, he's dealing with something.

Or maybe he is bored and tired in the middle of a long season, and the guys who were knocking down shots at an incredible rate earlier in the season are not converting his passes as well.

Looking at his game log last year, he had a similar slump around this same time.  He had some good games mixed in (just like he has had this time), but overall, was not playing very well. 

I can understand that, 82 games is a long season.  But right now, we are in the thick of trying to hold on to this #1 seed - there should be plenty of motivation for him to be playing well at this point

[Chris]

He's clearly going through something mentally.  His mind isn't on the game at all.  He is approaching the game the same way millions of Americans approach their jobs on a daily basis.

Maybe's he upset about Perk, maybe there's something going on in his personal life...I don't know - but clearly, he's dealing with something.

Or maybe he is bored and tired in the middle of a long season, and the guys who were knocking down shots at an incredible rate earlier in the season are not converting his passes as well.

Looking at his game log last year, he had a similar slump around this same time.  He had some good games mixed in (just like he has had this time), but overall, was not playing very well. 

I can understand that, 82 games is a long season.  But right now, we are in the thick of trying to hold on to this #1 seed - there should be plenty of motivation for him to be playing well at this point

While there "should be" that doesn't mean there is, and then jump to the conclusion that it is anything more than that.

These guys went to the NBA finals last year, and nearly won, and they mailed in the entire second half of the season.  Do you really think that does not cross their mind when they step on the floor in these games in the middle of March?

Even if it is purely subconscious, the desire to go all out and win every game must be at least a bit limited by the fact that they all but proved (at least in their minds) it was not neccesary last year. 

These guys are tired, and bored, and ready for the playoffs, and if they need to rationalize not working extra hard for home court, I am sure they will have no problem doing that.

[makaveli]

Reading the thread name made me laugh...it is really funny when you look at it.

[KungPoweChicken]

Doc said that Rondo is in a slump (it's on the front page too).  I understand being in a shooting slump (he's been in a shooting slump his whole career ). But what about setting up the offense?  Can you be in a slump where you forget how to set up the offense?  Shooting slumps usually don't stop players from producing in other parts of their game, like passing, rebounding and defending.  Why can't Rondo continue to set up the offense, drive and dish, and play defense?  

Can someone explain to me how he can be in that kind of slump?  Especially when Doc says he's not injured.

Maybe some type of substance abuse could cause this type of play. Remember how Vin Baker looked out there sometimes?

[PosImpos]

Here is the problem with Rondo.  Because of the inability to shoot, nothing about what he does comes easy.  Not the assists or the scoring.  Rondo is able to do what he does primarily on enery.

It seems that right now, he just doesn't have that energy, hence the huge drop off.

. . . and this is precisely why it scares me to depend so much on Rondo to carry our team.

Even players like Rose and Westbrook who rely so much on their speed and athleticism to do things don't seem to have to work as hard as Rondo does in order to be at the top of his game. 

Rondo is very talented but he just can't always be that great dominating player he is every now and then because he would burn out after a month (which is what happened in the playoffs last year).

[Megatron]

Rondos inability to shoot and refusal to be aggressive makes terrible defensive teams look like gods beacuse they can simply stick man to man and double team anyone who gets the ball since defenses completely ignore Rondo.

We need 5 players that are threats on the offensive end. We cannot keep struggling on offense like this, it makes our team look old.

Pierce is more then capable of getting off his own shot, but he doesent.

Ray is capable, but he prefers to come off screens waiting for the pass from Rondo.

KG refuses to post up, and just settles for shooting open 18 footers.

Krstic never gets the ball unless its off a broken-play or an offensive rebound.

Rondo stands around for 20 seconds and shoots an open jumper.

For so many all-stars on this team we sure are terrible on offense, I just dont understand.

Jeff Green should be sprinting down the floor every time down, Rondo should be running with him, yet ive only seen this happen two times since Greens arrival. What exactly is the point of bringing in young athletic guys, if they dont use their talent?

It just seems like this team is doing as little as possible, they have grown accustom to Rondo making their jobs a cakewalk, now that Rondo is struggling, they refuse to do the things they have to do to win games.

Our offense is putrid and it starts with Rondo and drips down to everyone else.

I dont believe what im about to say but we need Nate Robinson right now, we need an energy guy who isnt afraid to try and score, nobody else on this team wants to put the ball in the basket.

Nate Robinson wouldnt have that problem.

[jsingh1699]

we need shaq back.

he will renergize everyone. just watching him slam one down at home will ignite everyone on the team. its like kg said earlier in the season about how playing with shaq is paradise. that could boost everyone to play harder.

[scaryjerry]

One thing that makes it funny is the fact that people come out of the woodwork and make "rondo is overrated" threads.

Really? is that why since hes been in this "slump" we've lost3 of 4 and look awful? even the big 3 arent playing as well.
Shows how important rondos play is, and yes hes not playing good now, really in any facet...and if he doesnt return to his early season play, we're in trouble in the playoffs

[LarBrd33]

ill keep saying it.  I think this team was inevitably going to have a slump when they bring in 5 new players.  To quote Charlie Sheen:  "Duh"

...

We are essentially having our training camp and pre-season in March.  Seems if you do that, the priority would have to be to get the new guys on the same page.  Force-feed them minutes and get them involved.  Let them understand the system, pick up the defense and see how they fit into the offense.

I don't think the struggling should be limited to the new guys.  All the regulars are having to adjust to having entirely new teammates out there. Rondo is trying to run an offense with 5 new players.  Everyone is going to struggle adjusting.

But they will... and we will be a better team when the dust settles.

[Megatron]

ill keep saying it.  I think this team was inevitably going to have a slump when they bring in 5 new players.  To quote Charlie Sheen:  "Duh"

...

We are essentially having our training camp and pre-season in March.  Seems if you do that, the priority would have to be to get the new guys on the same page.  Force-feed them minutes and get them involved.  Let them understand the system, pick up the defense and see how they fit into the offense.

I don't think the struggling should be limited to the new guys.  All the regulars are having to adjust to having entirely new teammates out there. Rondo is trying to run an offense with 5 new players.  Everyone is going to struggle adjusting.

But they will... and we will be a better team when the dust settles.

I still dont buy this excuse, new guys arent supposed to win games, they are supposed to help relieve the starters.

Our leads didnt go away when the bench came in, our leads went away when the starters were out on the floor.

Starters are tired/unmotivated/injured, that is why we are slumping.

[Bankshot]

ill keep saying it.  I think this team was inevitably going to have a slump when they bring in 5 new players.  To quote Charlie Sheen:  "Duh"

...

We are essentially having our training camp and pre-season in March.  Seems if you do that, the priority would have to be to get the new guys on the same page.  Force-feed them minutes and get them involved.  Let them understand the system, pick up the defense and see how they fit into the offense.

I don't think the struggling should be limited to the new guys.  All the regulars are having to adjust to having entirely new teammates out there. Rondo is trying to run an offense with 5 new players.  Everyone is going to struggle adjusting.

But they will... and we will be a better team when the dust settles.

I still dont buy this excuse, new guys arent supposed to win games, they are supposed to help relieve the starters.

Our leads didnt go away when the bench came in, our leads went away when the starters were out on the floor.

Starters are tired/unmotivated/injured, that is why we are slumping.

Exactly. Had nothing to do with the bench.  The bench got them back in the game.  The starters, especially Rondo, lost that game.

[guava_wrench]

Our offense is putrid and it starts with Rondo and drips down to everyone else.

I dont believe what im about to say but we need Nate Robinson right now, we need an energy guy who isnt afraid to try and score, nobody else on this team wants to put the ball in the basket.

Nate Robinson wouldnt have that problem.

Why would Nate help? He was here for a while and didn't provide that. We went that route and it was a failure.

[guava_wrench]

I actually consider Rondo's assist average to be a bit of a joke. Rondo is a great passer, but his assist numbers are padded because he often passes on easy shots to pass to guys with harder or equal shots.

On the other hand, I expect him to look better in the playoffs where he seems to pressure defenses more.

[Megatron]

Our offense is putrid and it starts with Rondo and drips down to everyone else.

I dont believe what im about to say but we need Nate Robinson right now, we need an energy guy who isnt afraid to try and score, nobody else on this team wants to put the ball in the basket.

Nate Robinson wouldnt have that problem.

Why would Nate help? He was here for a while and didn't provide that. We went that route and it was a failure.

Dont know, we need an energy punch right now and we dont have that.

Celtics fans claimed we needed to get younger and more athletic for the past 3 season...

Jeff Green is a young, super athletic stud...

Im still waiting to see how his "athleticism" will improve us, beacuse right now hes not being used well.