Bird quote relevant to Rondo/Paul Debate

[Valentines_at_Popeyes]

“It doesn't matter who scores the points, it's who can get the ball to the scorer.”
  -Larry Bird

I don't know when or where Larry Bird said this (found it on thinkexist), but it expresses how I feel in the Rondo/Paul debates.  I am very impressed with Paul, but I feel like Rondo makes everyone around him better, and I think he can still get better as a young player.  

  I'm a newbie to the board.  Been lurking for a while though.  Go Celts.

 

[Celtics18]

“It doesn't matter who scores the points, it's who can get the ball to the scorer.”
  -Larry Bird

I don't know when or where Larry Bird said this (found it on thinkexist), but it expresses how I feel in the Rondo/Paul debates.  I am very impressed with Paul, but I feel like Rondo makes everyone around him better, and I think he can still get better as a young player. 

  I'm a newbie to the board.  Been lurking for a while though.  Go Celts.

 

Welcome, and a tommy point for you.  Those of us who want Rajon Rondo to stay a Celtic for years to come need all the help we can get. 

[toneskeet]

TP

[droopdog7]

“It doesn't matter who scores the points, it's who can get the ball to the scorer.”
  -Larry Bird

I don't know when or where Larry Bird said this (found it on thinkexist), but it expresses how I feel in the Rondo/Paul debates.  I am very impressed with Paul, but I feel like Rondo makes everyone around him better, and I think he can still get better as a young player. 

  I'm a newbie to the board.  Been lurking for a while though.  Go Celts.

 

Don't really agree.  Rondo's biggest problem is that his lack of offense can be used against the Celts in the half court, especially in the playoffs.  While he certainly does a lot to help others score, in many cases, his presence on the floor "squeezes" the offense and inhibits the other players.  Teams, at least the smart ones, do not hesitate to double off of of Rondo. 

So while Rondo certainly does more good than bad, his lack of offense is a detriment that many fans do not recognize.   

So if we are going to turn this into a debate of who is better (Rondo or Paul), it ain't that close.  Or maybe it is if you add some of Rondo's other dimensions (D and Rebounding).  But clearly, Paul is a better player.

[Roy H.]

What if it's a guy -- like Larry himself -- who can both score *and* set up his teammates?

[PosImpos]

“It doesn't matter who scores the points, it's who can get the ball to the scorer.”
  -Larry Bird

I don't know when or where Larry Bird said this (found it on thinkexist), but it expresses how I feel in the Rondo/Paul debates.  I am very impressed with Paul, but I feel like Rondo makes everyone around him better, and I think he can still get better as a young player. 

  I'm a newbie to the board.  Been lurking for a while though.  Go Celts.

 

remember this quote came from a guy who regularly scored 20-25 pts a game, who was teammates with one of the best low-post scorers in the game who also regularly scored 20+.

in other words, bird's teams never really lacked a go-to scorer.

[Jon]

Well, that's true to an extent; however, let's remember two key things:

1) Chris Paul averages 9.9 APG for his career, while Rondo averages 7.6.  Even last year when Rondo was going nuts with assists, he only averaged 1.8 assists more per game than Paul. The point?  Paul is hardly a shoot first PG.  

2) While Larry Legend is right, it's not like he wasn't fond of shooting the ball, as well as passing.  In fact, he averaged 19.3 FG attempts per game for his career, 4 more than Paul Pierce does.  

Now that's not a knock on Larry.  In fact, I'd argue that part of the reason that he was such a great passer was because he was such a dangerous shooters.  Teams had to rush at him and double him as soon as he got the ball.  Thus, he could find the open man.  

As much as I love Rondo, Paul is close to the passer that Rondo is, but much more dangerous as a shooter.  And that could really do wonders for opening up things for the Big Three.  

I'm happy with Rondo and hope that he develops a shot.  But I wouldn't hesitate to deal him for Paul.  

[Army_of_One_Nation]

I agree with you.

Well, that's true to an extent; however, let's remember two key things:

1) Chris Paul averages 9.9 APG for his career, while Rondo averages 7.6.  Even last year when Rondo was going nuts with assists, he only averaged 1.8 assists more per game than Paul. The point?  Paul is hardly a shoot first PG.  

2) While Larry Legend is right, it's not like he wasn't fond of shooting the ball, as well as passing.  In fact, he averaged 19.3 FG attempts per game for his career, 4 more than Paul Pierce does.  

Now that's not a knock on Larry.  In fact, I'd argue that part of the reason that he was such a great passer was because he was such a dangerous shooters.  Teams had to rush at him and double him as soon as he got the ball.  Thus, he could find the open man.  

As much as I love Rondo, Paul is close to the passer that Rondo is, but much more dangerous as a shooter.  And that could really do wonders for opening up things for the Big Three.  

I'm happy with Rondo and hope that he develops a shot.  But I wouldn't hesitate to deal him for Paul.  

[Celtics4ever]

Larry did a whole lot of both!

[Kane3387]

Paul can pass and score. When he has had scorers on his team they have played great. Peja, Tyson, and West all had some of the best years of their career playing with Paul. He will get the ball to Kevin, Ray, and Paul just like Rondo did. Yet, he will also spread the floor and take over when the offense breaks down way more then Rondo ever could.

CP3 is way more Steve Nash then he is Allen Iverson.

[TheBig3]

Well, that's true to an extent; however, let's remember two key things:

1) Chris Paul averages 9.9 APG for his career, while Rondo averages 7.6.  Even last year when Rondo was going nuts with assists, he only averaged 1.8 assists more per game than Paul. The point?  Paul is hardly a shoot first PG.  

2) While Larry Legend is right, it's not like he wasn't fond of shooting the ball, as well as passing.  In fact, he averaged 19.3 FG attempts per game for his career, 4 more than Paul Pierce does.  

Now that's not a knock on Larry.  In fact, I'd argue that part of the reason that he was such a great passer was because he was such a dangerous shooters.  Teams had to rush at him and double him as soon as he got the ball.  Thus, he could find the open man.  

As much as I love Rondo, Paul is close to the passer that Rondo is, but much more dangerous as a shooter.  And that could really do wonders for opening up things for the Big Three.  

I'm happy with Rondo and hope that he develops a shot.  But I wouldn't hesitate to deal him for Paul.  

And that was on a team without a big 3

[Finkelskyhook]

Paul can pass and score. When he has had scorers on his team they have played great. Peja, Tyson, and West all had some of the best years of their career playing with Paul. He will get the ball to Kevin, Ray, and Paul just like Rondo did. Yet, he will also spread the floor and take over when the offense breaks down way more then Rondo ever could.

CP3 is way more Steve Nash then he is Allen Iverson.

Well, You'd never and will never win a championship with either Los Nash or Iverson....And I doubt we'd win a championship with s swollen headed diva like Paul....Even though Paul is 10 times the player that Iverson or Los Nash is.

[Kane3387]

Paul can pass and score. When he has had scorers on his team they have played great. Peja, Tyson, and West all had some of the best years of their career playing with Paul. He will get the ball to Kevin, Ray, and Paul just like Rondo did. Yet, he will also spread the floor and take over when the offense breaks down way more then Rondo ever could.

CP3 is way more Steve Nash then he is Allen Iverson.

Well, You'd never and will never win a championship with either Los Nash or Iverson....And I doubt we'd win a championship with s swollen headed diva like Paul....Even though Paul is 10 times the player that Iverson or Los Nash is.

CP3 is better then Nash and can play defense. Those Suns teams had enough talent to win but their philosophy was flawed. Even that being said if they dont have a Nash broken nose and a Robert Horry hip check then I think Phoenix wins it all in 2007. It goes to show you that you need a lot to go your way to win. The current big three with Paul and Jermaine, etc. is arguably a more talented team then any of those phenix teams and it is also a team built on defense.

[Finkelskyhook]

Paul can pass and score. When he has had scorers on his team they have played great. Peja, Tyson, and West all had some of the best years of their career playing with Paul. He will get the ball to Kevin, Ray, and Paul just like Rondo did. Yet, he will also spread the floor and take over when the offense breaks down way more then Rondo ever could.

CP3 is way more Steve Nash then he is Allen Iverson.

Well, You'd never and will never win a championship with either Los Nash or Iverson....And I doubt we'd win a championship with s swollen headed diva like Paul....Even though Paul is 10 times the player that Iverson or Los Nash is.

CP3 is better then Nash and can play defense. Those Suns teams had enough talent to win but their philosophy was flawed. Even that being said if they dont have a Nash broken nose and a Robert Horry hip check then I think Phoenix wins it all in 2007. It goes to show you that you need a lot to go your way to win. The current big three with Paul and Jermaine, etc. is arguably a more talented team then any of those phenix teams and it is also a team built on defense.

The only way a los Nash team comes close to smelling a championship is if he has the same center that Iverson had when Philly almost won.  Somebody who can erase some of the complete disregard that los Nash has for defense.  Los Nash flopped on that Horry hip check in a way that would have made Ric Flair blush.

Paul is ions better than Iverson or los Nash....But the more diva like he becomes, the more of a distraction he'll be to both his old and whatever his new team is.

[Kane3387]

Paul can pass and score. When he has had scorers on his team they have played great. Peja, Tyson, and West all had some of the best years of their career playing with Paul. He will get the ball to Kevin, Ray, and Paul just like Rondo did. Yet, he will also spread the floor and take over when the offense breaks down way more then Rondo ever could.

CP3 is way more Steve Nash then he is Allen Iverson.

Well, You'd never and will never win a championship with either Los Nash or Iverson....And I doubt we'd win a championship with s swollen headed diva like Paul....Even though Paul is 10 times the player that Iverson or Los Nash is.

CP3 is better then Nash and can play defense. Those Suns teams had enough talent to win but their philosophy was flawed. Even that being said if they dont have a Nash broken nose and a Robert Horry hip check then I think Phoenix wins it all in 2007. It goes to show you that you need a lot to go your way to win. The current big three with Paul and Jermaine, etc. is arguably a more talented team then any of those phenix teams and it is also a team built on defense.

The only way a los Nash team comes close to smelling a championship is if he has the same center that Iverson had when Philly almost won.  Somebody who can erase some of the complete disregard that los Nash has for defense.  Los Nash flopped on that Horry hip check in a way that would have made Ric Flair blush.

Paul is ions better than Iverson or los Nash....But the more diva like he becomes, the more of a distraction he'll be to both his old and whatever his new team is.

Flop or not. The exchange resulted in a Stoudemire and Diaw suspension each. Both of those games close and both lost. Phoenix could have beaten the Spurs otherwise that year. They would have had no trouble with Utah in the next round and Cleveland in the finals.