Doc is talking about Rondo in those post-game comments

[Vermont Green]

Rondo is clearly in a funk and in my opinion, it is the result of a case of self-inflated work in Rondo's own mind.  First there was the contract, then all the assists early in the year along with MVP talk from senseless national commentators.  Now he seems to be dribbling around looking for the chances to make the perfect pass, get an assist, and show how good he is.  He needs to get back to the hungry, humble, hustling player that made him what he is.

If he is even the least bit miffed becasue DA didn't consult him about a trade, then he really needs a dose of reality.

  If all that's true then he does need a dose of reality, but it's all groundless speculation.

My comments represent my own personal conclusions based on what I have seen of his play recently.  I injected phases like "in my opinion" to make that clear.

Other posts had referenced the idea that Rondo may be miffed and I made a comment relative to those posts without any pretence of knowing if he really was or not.

I don't get why you felt like you needed to make such an arrogant seeming response but hey, it is a blog forum.

[footey]

before rondo got that money..contract..his game was different..he does not play like he is hungry or has anything to prove anymore

I think your timeline is off. He was playing fantastic this year (after his contract) until Perk was traded. Setting records. contract has nothing to do with it. Until Perk trade, Rondo was out-playing his contract. I believe the theory that Rondo was not consulted on Perk trade, but Big 3 were, or Rondo was consulted but he was the only one to disapprove the trade. He no longer considers the Big 3 his brothers, since they went Judas on his BFF Perk.  Sounds crazy, but I am buying this, hard to explain actions otherwise.

And yes, Rondo is our MVP, because when he stinks, everyone else on the team stinks!!

[Edgar]

Please people try to keep the labels on other posters and keep the discussion on the celtics without judging other people reasons

[18isGREATERthan72]

It's his attitude. You can see that the whole team is trying to pull through offensively and he's just slowly walking up the court, the way he holds the ball, the lack of urgency, and most of all the lack of intelligent passes.

I'm sorry to rain on everyone's parade but the chemistry problems last year weren't from Rasheed Wallace, they were Rajon Rondo. He's the player that controls the offense, that same offense that stops being effective when he starts walking it up the court (see Game 7, or any of the other games Boston has allowed heart wrenching comebacks in.)

You hear Tommy screaming about it, which he never doubts ANYTHING that The Celtics do. As soon as they start walking it up, taking time, and getting forced into single bailout shots he flips out. As unbelievable and jaw dropping as Rajon Rondo is when he's pushing the tempo... he's absolutely useless if he walks it up and doesn't initiate the offense until 14 left on the shot clock. Only PG's with outside jump shots have that luxury.

Rondo has walked the ball up frequently his whole career, and it was never causing the team to suck it up this bad.  Yes it's been a negative, but I don't think it's that.  Also, Rondo is FREQUENTLY the first one up court, and has to wait for the rest of the team to catch up.

[fadeawayswish17]

Honestly everyone needs to relax. Rondo and the Mean Green will be fine and the trade was necessary for the good of the team. We all know how things change in the playoffs and when it matters we will prevail. The Bulls are the only obstacle in our way and our bench is better than theirs.

[Junkyard Dawg]

  So you're saying that Rondo never passes the ball and starts looking for his shot every time he gets the ball into the front court? Check out a video of AI sometime. Rondo's averaging more assists than shots this month and the only likely reason for Doc to call anyone on the team selfish is Rondo shooting too much? No "hate" there...

No it's not that Rondo is always looking to take a shot, I think that's clearly not the case, I think he's just been acting lazy and disinterested for long stretches as of late.  But Doc was clearly very upset after the game last night, and it just seems his quotes were directed at specific player(s), so I'm just speculating as to who and why...

But somebody posted earlier about how Tommy rarely criticizes things the Celtics do, and he was really laying into them last night for taking too long to get into their offense.  I think Rondo takes the most blame for that, but frankly, in the end, I think problems with Rondo are much easier to overcome than age/injury concerns with the other guys.

[BballTim]

  So you're saying that Rondo never passes the ball and starts looking for his shot every time he gets the ball into the front court? Check out a video of AI sometime. Rondo's averaging more assists than shots this month and the only likely reason for Doc to call anyone on the team selfish is Rondo shooting too much? No "hate" there...

No it's not that Rondo is always looking to take a shot, I think that's clearly not the case, I think he's just been acting lazy and disinterested for long stretches as of late.  But Doc was clearly very upset after the game last night, and it just seems his quotes were directed at specific player(s), so I'm just speculating as to who and why...

  I thought he was pretty clear in saying the issue was with all of the starters, not just one or two. And it's hard to see why, with West and Arroyo both available, that Doc would continue to play Rondo for 40 minutes a game if he shared the opinion of the majority of the posters.

But somebody posted earlier about how Tommy rarely criticizes things the Celtics do, and he was really laying into them last night for taking too long to get into their offense.  I think Rondo takes the most blame for that, but frankly, in the end, I think problems with Rondo are much easier to overcome than age/injury concerns with the other guys.

  Sometimes it's Rondo's fault, but I've heard Doc say that the team takes so long to get into their offense because the other guys don't run with Rondo. I missed almost all of the game last night, but were the other 4 guys up on offense waiting for Rondo?

[Vermont Green]

Being selfish is not always about taking shots.  In many cases it is but I think with Rondo, selfishness can manifest itself with him trying make the perfect pass to get an assist or gambling to get a steal.

One problem we have had lately is being slow to get into the offense and often this is the result of Rondo dribbling too much, ie being selfish with the ball.  I don't think he is intending to be me first necessarily but that is the result.

[BballTim]

Being selfish is not always about taking shots.  In many cases it is but I think with Rondo, selfishness can manifest itself with him trying make the perfect pass to get an assist or gambling to get a steal.

  Rondo's defense has been pretty good lately. I missed last night's game but it doesn't look like Augustin had a huge game. And isn't it sort of his job to make the perfect pass? Wasn't he doing that earlier in the year when we had the highest eFG% in the league?

One problem we have had lately is being slow to get into the offense and often this is the result of Rondo dribbling too much, ie being selfish with the ball.  I don't think he is intending to be me first necessarily but that is the result.

  Is Rondo slowing the pace or just playing at the same speed as the team? Are people open and calling for the ball while Rondo dribbles it looking for a "more perfect" pass?

[mmbaby]

Rondo is just showing you/them how pathetic this team is without him playing well. You shouldn't p--- off your most important young player who they signed long term.

So very true, Celtics/Run! Rhondo, we have to remember, is still really young and it wouldn't surprise me if him now having to learn the ways of this hard world is wearing on him.
I'm old and it still wears on me.

I'm curious - do you intentionally add the "h" to Rondo's name?

Why?

Sorry about that...I have been spelling his name wrong. I guess because I have a friend named Rhonda. Glad you pointed it out because I didn't even realize it.

My theory is that Rondo is going through the realization that there is no real Ubuntu in the NBA, when one of our key players whom we had been waiting on all year gets traded the minute he gets well. (Perk)

Yes, teamwork is what wins games, but Rhondo may be thinking about his career and how the big 3 are nearly done and saving his body for a trade next season. And it probably hurts alot to a 25 yr old to realize he's merely a commodity.

[Roy H.]

The next person who calls somebody a "fake fan" or anything similar, in this thread or elsewhere, will be suspended.  We've already locked one thread on that subject today, and have deleted numerous similar posts in this thread.

People need to grow up, and accept that others can have an opposing viewpoint.

[Vermont Green]

  Is Rondo slowing the pace or just playing at the same speed as the team? Are people open and calling for the ball while Rondo dribbles it looking for a "more perfect" pass?

I think Rondo is slowing the pace but as you suggest, it is a team game and not entirely any one person's fault.  As the PG though, Rondo is highly impactful in this aspect.  His focus should be on first getting the ball up the court to the point of attack as quickly as possible, then he needs to focus on just making the next pass, not always the last pass (which in many cases turns out to be the only pass).

I think there is room for improvement in both areas but lately, I think the second is the bigger issue.  I think our set offense works best when everyone touches the ball and assists are distributed and come after 2 or 3 passes, not just one pass.  We get bogged down when Rondo is dribbling around (actually he is often just dribbling in place) as the other 4 are making and cutting off screens.  Instead of passing for the sake of ball movement, he seems to be waiting to pass to someone who will be able to take a shot.

Successive passes (along with dribble penetration) force defensive responses that utimately lead to opportinities.  I guess it could be all Doc's fault for not calling the right plays but since he is clearly not happy with it, I doubt this is the case.  Doc has said he doesn't want players taking "hero shots" and I think Rondo is trying to make what amount to hero passes.  I am pretty sure Doc doesn't want that either.

[BballTim]

Successive passes (along with dribble penetration) force defensive responses that utimately lead to opportinities.  I guess it could be all Doc's fault for not calling the right plays but since he is clearly not happy with it, I doubt this is the case.  Doc has said he doesn't want players taking "hero shots" and I think Rondo is trying to make what amount to hero passes.  I am pretty sure Doc doesn't want that either.

  I'd love to get a better handle on what Doc does tell the players. Rondo will have an aggressive first half, everything is going smoothly, and we'll start the second half with 3-4 plays in a row where Rondo gives up the ball near half court and heads for the corner and someone else initiates the play. Does Doc call for this? Does he try and stop it when it happens? Do the other players call for it?

[j804]

I know as the interview carries on Rondo gets a bit more serious, but his body language in the beginning that smirk of his and grin like this is all no big deal seems awful. This is from practice today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KnEtixeYUE&sns=em

[Junkyard Dawg]

I know as the interview carries on Rondo gets a bit more serious, but his body language in the beginning that smirk of his and grin like this is all no big deal seems awful. This is from practice today.

Perfectly indicative of how he's been playing lately.  Up and down, inconsistent.  I dunno, I think we'll start playing well again soon, I think the guys are focused on the postseason.  And in all honestly I think HCA is a bit overrated; we were 5 pts from a championship last year, you can point to a hundred things other than HCA as reasons we lost. 

I guess my only gripe is that there are so many new guys who will be playing important roles, Rondo and the big 3 should be working to get them involved, getting them ready for postseason play, and right now they don't seem too concerned about that.