We Lost Because Rondo Got Hurt

[jdpapa3]

I also forgot that Rondo got in questionable foul trouble in game 1 and that's why he didn't really make an impact. Rondo was a +7 for game 1 and we were only down by 4 when he went to the bench for the rest of the first half(this is where Miami opened the game up.)

Game 2 was a 20 point effort from him and this was the one where Glen Davis was left in a bit too long even if he did get fouled twice, but I don't want to sound like a broken record in mentioning the refs(oops, too late, but they made themselves a major talking point with their favorable Miami officiating.)

[zimbo]

Whoever called Rondo one-dimensional does not know what the word means. He has plenty of triple doubles and he assists, rebounds, defends, runs an offense (calls plays). A one-dimensional player does one thing like only scores (think Nick Young, James Jones). He contributes to a team in many ways. Hence multi-dimensional.

[LancerQ]

We would've won game 4 if he didn't get injured and most probably took the series in 6.

Agreed.

[Eja117]

I prefer to think we lost because Lebron didn't get hurt.   In the mean time does anyone know where I can buy some cheap sledgehammers.  I'm going for a trip to South Beach and I'm gonna need a couple. 

[Eja117]

You know what.  A sledgehammer seems a bit tough to swing.  Maybe more of a souped up crow bar.

[clover]

The Big Three didn't play well enough for them to win this year. 

And retooling with complementary role players isn't going to make them competitive next year either.

[IrishGreen]

He is our best player. It's no doubt the reason we lost this series.

If he puts up 800 shots a day in the summer and takes the steps Jason Kidd and Stockton took when they couldn't shoot the ball, he will probably be the best PG in the league. He has alot  of intangible's that very few in the League have i.e. determination, hustle and most importantly he bleeds green.

I've been watching Boston play since I was 5 years old and I can only say that I've seen 2 better players in Green and thats PP and Bird.

I looked forward to next year with Doc staying and this kid becoming even more mature and explosive.

[BballTim]

Rondo was largely ineffective before he got hurt.  I believe this team is more dangerous with Delonte running the point because he can drive and shoot.  You can not leave Delonte undefended like you can Rondo.

  First of all, players don't stay any closer to Delonte than they do to Rondo, they just close him out better when he gets the ball. Secondly, the offense was tremendously better with Rondo than West this year.

[BballTim]

After five years in the league he cant make a 15 foot jump shot or free throws with any consistency.Its give teams defending the Celtics a big advantage. Its like playing 4 on 5 on offense.

  Yes, this explains why our offense is so much better with Rondo in the game than on the bench.

If you were on the court in Rondos shoes and had the ball every possession in the open court and more than any other player in the half court how many assists would you average? Or how many would Arroyo or West have had if they dominated the ball every possession like Rondo.

  Haha. If Delonte could shoot as well as he does and get as many assists as Rondo he'd be a perennial all-star, not a minimum contract player. Clearly there's something wrong with your understanding of how well different players can pass the ball or run an offense.

[mctyson]

Why is this a referendum on Delonte?  He was great in the Miami series and probably his best when they needed him most down the stretch in Game 5.

But yes - this team without a healthy Rondo (or substitute other All-star caliber PG with nasty defense) is not nearly as good.  Rondo creates so much offense for Ray and KG.  Without Rondo runnin things, they really need PP to have a few trips where he scores on iso plays, and he couldn't do that in Game 5 with the foul trouble.

[pearljammer10]

After five years in the league he cant make a 15 foot jump shot or free throws with any consistency.

You've mentioned the 2 things he doesn't have in his game. You can point out 2 things in most people's games and make them look bad, but Rondo has carried the big 3 more in recent days than vice versa.

A point guard who cant shoot is kinda one-dimensional don't you think?

Your point has to be able to shoot to keep defenses honest and keep driving lanes open.

The two reasons his assists are high is (1) He is effective in the open court especially with his speed (2) He dominates the basketball on every possession.

Several times tonight RM was commenting on Bibby or Chalmers just walking away from guarding him because the Heat are not afraid of him scoring.This was also the case with Kobe guarding Rondo in the Finals last year.

Shaq has been in the league for 20 years and still can't make a free throw. He would go to the line 10+ times a game for most games in his career... Did Shaq have a largely ineffective career? Id say not.

[BballTim]

I don't think Rondo is one dimensional. He hurts you on the fast break, can penetrate and score, penetrate and kick, throw precision passes to cutters or guys off the screen. Look at how many gross turnovers we had tonight on those semi-breaks. It's much simpler when the directive is to simply get the ball to Rondo.

No, it's not fair to call Rondo one-dimensional.  That doesn't mean he isn't a seriously limited player.  He is a point guard who can make tough passes, score in transition or when openings are created by ball movement, and defend well, creating turnovers and turning them into baskets.  He can't, however, create his own shot or get to the line with any consistency.  As the primary ball hander, that makes him limited. 

  He  doesn't create his shot too much but clearly he's able to do so. And while he's somewhat "limited" he still makes the team better offensively when he plays.

[Assassin70]

We lost in part this year the same reason we lost last year.

No rebounding!

Danny get some people who can rebound consistently on this team and force Doc to actually play them!!!

[BballTim]

We lost in part this year the same reason we lost last year.

No rebounding!

Danny get some people who can rebound consistently on this team and force Doc to actually play them!!!

  Another area where Rondo's injury hurt us. He got 13 rebounds in the first 2 games and 4 in the last 2. Another 4-5 possessions a game could have helped.

[droopdog7]

Fans have short memories.  Rondo was perfectly healthy the first two games and we lost.  Not to mention, we lost Game 2 in the exact same way that we lost Game 5.

So no, I don't believe a healthy Rondo was the difference between us winning and losing the series.