Rajon Rondo is my guy.

[beantownboy171]

During the playoffs last year I vowed (to myself) that I would never support a trade involving Rajon Rondo. I've never cheered for a player harder than Rajon Rondo and when he came back into the heat game after dislocating his elbow I had tears in my eyes. He is a champion. He's played with Kevin Garnett. He's played with Paul Pierce. And he's played with Ray Allen. That means something to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHafU-o1VZY&feature=related

You don't think this got his peers attention? In a league with superstars that lack the mental toughness to freaking win has to mean something. I don't blame any of you for supporting a trade for Chris Paul. He's probably the only guy who can get us Howard. But i'm not sure a team with Paul and Howard will have a better chance at a championship than Rondo and Howard. And listen, before you bite off my head, I know no one thinks Howard will come to Boston to play with Rajon. But Howard has been really mum on his intentions. I don't think any of us know the kind of guy Dwight is.

But I have a dream. Let Rondo play this season with the C's. Let him step up his game, he's still improving. Let him put together another month of classic playoff heroics. Let him lead us to another championship. Let's as a city embrace Rondo, and even if others doubt his offensive capabilities, let us know what we see from Rajon in the playoffs. Let Dwight Howard realize for himself that Rajon has a different mentality then Chris Paul, or Lebron James, or Carmelo Anthony. A mentality that wins championships. A mentality that reminds me frankly of Kobe Bryant (as much as i hate him). The arrogance. The swagger. The confidence. Let me tell you, I believe this will happen. And it's the only way I'll have it. My loyalty's with Rajon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYa-v3l39So&feature=related

[Celtics/Run]

I am in full agreement. You don't throw a player of his caliber under the bus like these fans.

[CelticHooligan3]

The arrogance, the confidence, the swagger to not practice his free throws every offseason and come to a team with Shaq and shoot a WORSE percentage than him... Unreal.

To me he's the best passer in the game but that only gets you so far. Once teams see your not going to shoot and they sag off you to play the passing lanes yet you keep passing all that baloney becomes a detriment not a strength.

The fact he's more hesitant now to drive the lane is even more cause for concern. It used to be the rule not the exception. Now its in his head to go to the line after a foul(so it seems) so he shys away from the contact. Thats not good. You need a way to keep defenses honest.

Bottom line is this kids weakness's are gonna become even more glaring when he's traded to a team without three future hall of famers who's strenghts are hitting open jumpshots. Just watch.

[BballTim]

The arrogance, the confidence, the swagger to not practice his free throws every offseason and come to a team with Shaq and shoot a WORSE percentage than him... Unreal.

  If you've got any evidence that he doesn't practice his free throws in the offseason, I'd like to see it. A link to an article, or maybe some quotes?

[beantownboy171]

The arrogance, the confidence, the swagger to not practice his free throws every offseason and come to a team with Shaq and shoot a WORSE percentage than him... Unreal.

To me he's the best passer in the game but that only gets you so far. Once teams see your not going to shoot and they sag off you to play the passing lanes yet you keep passing all that baloney becomes a detriment not a strength.

The fact he's more hesitant now to drive the lane is even more cause for concern. It used to be the rule not the exception. Now its in his head to go to the line after a foul(so it seems) so he shys away from the contact. Thats not good. You need a way to keep defenses honest.

Bottom line is this kids weakness's are gonna become even more glaring when he's traded to a team without three future hall of famers who's strenghts are hitting open jumpshots. Just watch.

If rajon gets traded I think he'll be on a mission to make us regret it. I think he holds back offensively because it's best for the system we're running with the big 3. He was too tentative last season, but i think that's something he will work past.

[CelticHooligan3]

The arrogance, the confidence, the swagger to not practice his free throws every offseason and come to a team with Shaq and shoot a WORSE percentage than him... Unreal.

  If you've got any evidence that he doesn't practice his free throws in the offseason, I'd like to see it. A link to an article, or maybe some quotes?

Wasnt saying he doesnt at all. On the contrary im sure he does. Just not as much as id like. Maybe i worded it wrong. But to me being the point guard on any NBA team and shooting free throws at a worse clip then Shaq is completely inexcusable.

To litterally be that bad to me means that in the offseason its not his top priority when it should be. He gets a pass for this offseason because he was rehabing and by many accounts didnt even pick up a basketball until the end of summer but what about last years offseason? Honestly how on earth can you shoot a worse percentage then Shaq? Seriously thats embarassing. And i think he thinks the same thing thats why his trips to the line have steadily declined.

[Kiorrik]

To me he's the best passer in the game but that only gets you so far.

Erm... "only so far"? He's gone deep into the playoffs, carried the team on several occasions, picked up his scoring when he had to. He's no LeBron, and nobody asks him to be either.

Anyway, there are weaknesses, and if he keeps improving on those things (he's shown less reluctance to shoot since last season, the 'not driving' can be attributed to many injuries) he'll become insanely unstoppable.

I'm calling future hall of fame :p

[Celtics18]

The arrogance, the confidence, the swagger to not practice his free throws every offseason and come to a team with Shaq and shoot a WORSE percentage than him... Unreal.

To me he's the best passer in the game but that only gets you so far. Once teams see your not going to shoot and they sag off you to play the passing lanes yet you keep passing all that baloney becomes a detriment not a strength.

The fact he's more hesitant now to drive the lane is even more cause for concern. It used to be the rule not the exception. Now its in his head to go to the line after a foul(so it seems) so he shys away from the contact. Thats not good. You need a way to keep defenses honest.

Bottom line is this kids weakness's are gonna become even more glaring when he's traded to a team without three future hall of famers who's strenghts are hitting open jumpshots. Just watch.

Don't forget that a big reason for his lack of aggressiveness last season was that he had plantar fascitiis throughout.

[bfrombleacher]

The arrogance, the confidence, the swagger to not practice his free throws every offseason and come to a team with Shaq and shoot a WORSE percentage than him... Unreal.

To me he's the best passer in the game but that only gets you so far. Once teams see your not going to shoot and they sag off you to play the passing lanes yet you keep passing all that baloney becomes a detriment not a strength.

The fact he's more hesitant now to drive the lane is even more cause for concern. It used to be the rule not the exception. Now its in his head to go to the line after a foul(so it seems) so he shys away from the contact. Thats not good. You need a way to keep defenses honest.

Bottom line is this kids weakness's are gonna become even more glaring when he's traded to a team without three future hall of famers who's strenghts are hitting open jumpshots. Just watch.

Don't forget that a big reason for his lack of aggressiveness last season was that he had plantar fascitiis throughout.

Also, the trading half the team away and Shaq being injured had something to do with it. Rondo gets his man in his spot by knowing his man.

[CelticHooligan3]

The arrogance, the confidence, the swagger to not practice his free throws every offseason and come to a team with Shaq and shoot a WORSE percentage than him... Unreal.

To me he's the best passer in the game but that only gets you so far. Once teams see your not going to shoot and they sag off you to play the passing lanes yet you keep passing all that baloney becomes a detriment not a strength.

The fact he's more hesitant now to drive the lane is even more cause for concern. It used to be the rule not the exception. Now its in his head to go to the line after a foul(so it seems) so he shys away from the contact. Thats not good. You need a way to keep defenses honest.

Bottom line is this kids weakness's are gonna become even more glaring when he's traded to a team without three future hall of famers who's strenghts are hitting open jumpshots. Just watch.

Don't forget that a big reason for his lack of aggressiveness last season was that he had plantar fascitiis throughout.

This is an excellent point. One that i overlooked so TP. But still to kiorrik the "many weaknesses" that can be improved upon are both in the shooting aspect of the game.

When your takeing a free throw theres no one there to block your shot or stop you. Essentially its all in your head and thats when your practice and focus need to be relied upon.

Sorry but i just havent seen it from the kid at the line. Granted i will give you he seems to be takeing and makeing more shots from the perimeter. But free throw shooting is not something you can make too many excuses for. Its a basic fundamental of the game we love. And if your a starting point guard its your job to pretty much have all the fundamentals down pat. All the bells and whistles which he has are fun and entertaining as all heck to watch but i cringe everytime i see him go to the line. And that simply should not be the case.

[Jon]

First, I think that Paul is likely a more complete player than Rondo.  But even if we were to assume that Rondo and Paul were equals or even if Rondo had a slight edge, Paul offers something that Rondo likely doesn't, the ability to draw other stars here. 

Even if Rondo has an amazing season, there will likely be doubts in people's minds about whether this was Rondo's doing or the result of playing with the Big Three.  Even if that's unwarranted, it still will exist.

With Paul, you get at an elite point guard, a guy who teams can't cheat off of to guard the Big Three, and a guy who can recruit Howard. 

As much as I love Rondo, those reasons are why if the opportunity presents itself, Ainge should trade him for Paul. 

[Celtics18]

The arrogance, the confidence, the swagger to not practice his free throws every offseason and come to a team with Shaq and shoot a WORSE percentage than him... Unreal.

To me he's the best passer in the game but that only gets you so far. Once teams see your not going to shoot and they sag off you to play the passing lanes yet you keep passing all that baloney becomes a detriment not a strength.

The fact he's more hesitant now to drive the lane is even more cause for concern. It used to be the rule not the exception. Now its in his head to go to the line after a foul(so it seems) so he shys away from the contact. Thats not good. You need a way to keep defenses honest.

Bottom line is this kids weakness's are gonna become even more glaring when he's traded to a team without three future hall of famers who's strenghts are hitting open jumpshots. Just watch.

Don't forget that a big reason for his lack of aggressiveness last season was that he had plantar fascitiis throughout.

This is an excellent point. One that i overlooked so TP. But still to kiorrik the "many weaknesses" that can be improved upon are both in the shooting aspect of the game.

When your takeing a free throw theres no one there to block your shot or stop you. Essentially its all in your head and thats when your practice and focus need to be relied upon.

Sorry but i just havent seen it from the kid at the line. Granted i will give you he seems to be takeing and makeing more shots from the perimeter. But free throw shooting is not something you can make too many excuses for. Its a basic fundamental of the game we love. And if your a starting point guard its your job to pretty much have all the fundamentals down pat. All the bells and whistles which he has are fun and entertaining as all heck to watch but i cringe everytime i see him go to the line. And that simply should not be the case.

I don't mean to answer for Kiorrik, but I would say that his "bells and whistles" are much more than just "fun and entertaining."  His skills as a passer, ball handler, penetrator, and general quarterback, coupled with his skills as a defender, ball hawker, rebounder, and 50/50 ball winner are extremely valuable to have from your point guard.  

I agree that he is starting to look more comfortable with the outside J and if he comes back physically healthy this year, I think he has a really good shot at putting it all together.

As to his free throws, all I can say is that I hope this is the year that he starts to turn that percentage around and at least gets it up into the seventies . . . and, of course, I hope he gets a chance to do it while wearing Celtic green.

[Kiorrik]

By no means am I saying quarterback is better than NO's one, by the way. I find Rondo more fun to watch, because he's got that whole 'unpredictability' factor. One day he plays mediocre, the other he plays like an MVP. Sometimes he blows three free-throws in a row, only to follow it up with some ridiculous layups that no other human being would've made.

It's a spectacle, and that's what I like about him.

So perhaps CP3 is just great all-round, all the time, but Rondo is bad at some things, and incomprehensibly good at others.

It evens out to Rondo being slightly less favorable, in my opinion.



To answer the whole free-throw thing... it's in his head. He's got a really big hurdle to overcome: his own mind. The kid's a thinker. And he knows he shouldn't think, so that's all he thinks about.

The minute he's going to stop thinking, he'll be at the very least a *decent* shooter.

[j804]

TP loved the video that assist against Denver to Ray for the corner 3 was just awesome, I remember that

[BballTim]

First, I think that Paul is likely a more complete player than Rondo.  But even if we were to assume that Rondo and Paul were equals or even if Rondo had a slight edge, Paul offers something that Rondo likely doesn't, the ability to draw other stars here. 

  Rondo's probably the best passer in the game and he's also one of the most unselfish offensive players. I think a lot of players would drool over the possibility of playing with a point guard who's first instinct is to hit his teammates with the best possible pass on offense and has the skill to do so.

Even if Rondo has an amazing season, there will likely be doubts in people's minds about whether this was Rondo's doing or the result of playing with the Big Three.  Even if that's unwarranted, it still will exist.

  I suspect the players are well aware of how good (or bad) Rondo is.