Will Rondo carve up Miami?

[twinbree]

Well he usually tries to be score more when any of the Big 3 are out. Especially when it’s Paul. So I imagine he'll start out with the aggressive mindset he had yesterday. Just hoping he comes out with all his limbs tightly wrapped up in case Wade worked on some more MMA style moves during the offseason.

[Celtics18]

I don't think he'll have as good a game against Miami as he did against NY if for no other reason than he played unbelievably yesterday.  I think Miami will have something planned to slow him up.  Bron and Wade will help out Rondo's defender if not take him on themselves. 

I can't help but feel the C's will get pasted in Miami tomorrow.  No PP, Green or Pietrus to put on Bron.  If Sasha and Daniels were way overmatched against Melo, they'll be steamrolled by the anointed one.

There's a good chance that we will be 0 and 2 after tomorrow night, but I don't expect this team to get "pasted."  I think we'll hang with the Heat and it will be another down to the wire affair.

To answer the original question: I expect Rondo to have another good game, but 30 pts., 13 assists, and 5 steals is probably unrealistic to hope for every night.

[Jon]

I don't think he'll have as good a game against Miami as he did against NY if for no other reason than he played unbelievably yesterday.  I think Miami will have something planned to slow him up.  Bron and Wade will help out Rondo's defender if not take him on themselves. 

I can't help but feel the C's will get pasted in Miami tomorrow.  No PP, Green or Pietrus to put on Bron.  If Sasha and Daniels were way overmatched against Melo, they'll be steamrolled by the anointed one.

There's a good chance that we will be 0 and 2 after tomorrow night, but I don't expect this team to get "pasted."  I think we'll hang with the Heat and it will be another down to the wire affair.

To answer the original question: I expect Rondo to have another good game, but 30 pts., 13 assists, and 5 steals is probably unrealistic to hope for every night.

The only thing about LeBron is that he can't shoot like Melo.  So Marquis and Sasha can stay a step off him and dare him to shoot. 

He's streaky, so it could hurt us, but if he's off, it could work out for us. 

[Rondo_is_better]

The Heat have a stellar defense, simply by virtue of their absurd athleticism, wingspan, and ability to cover vast swathes of space, so I doubt it.

[celtics2]

The only way he has success is to hit outside shots that will force the defense to play on him and give him his openings to drive. After watching the NY game films they won't have any problem stopping his drives. He won't get the 5 or so easy layups the Knicks gave away.

[nba is the worst]

Re the title of this blog - I hope so, the heat should be feeling good about themselves now that they've won consecutive Christmas day championships...

More seriously, nice to see Rondo shooting better.

[nba is the worst]

Rondo might have a great game, but just like yesterday, the Celtics will lose.

Superior bball IQ beats superior talent frequently.

Celtics will win tomorrow, and get in their heads again

[billysan]

The only way he has success is to hit outside shots that will force the defense to play on him and give him his openings to drive. After watching the NY game films they won't have any problem stopping his drives. He won't get the 5 or so easy layups the Knicks gave away.

I completely agree that if he hits those jumpers, the Heat will have to play more defense on him. Last year they insulted him the way they lay back and dared him to shoot and that took away his attacking game. I expect he will be ready to hoist a few and prove a point.

I disagree that they will be able to stop his drives with no problem. The Knicks appear much better at interior defense this season than the Heat IMHO. The Mavs lost because they were jumpshooters who couldnt stop the attacking Heat the paint.

The Mavs did not attack the Heat inside like Rondo will and if his jumper is falling they will not be able to sag off him. That will likely require DWade or Chalmers stay on him and that not help with interior double teams on KG/JO.

Lebron on the other hand will not be restrained by the danger of Sasha or Marquis explosive scoring. He will be the one providing help on interior defense.

[MaxAMillion]

The Heat will win by double digits. Does it really matter what Rondo does if they can't win the game?

[celticinorlando]

afraid miami slaughters boston

[coco]

Don't want to be a grinch here, but Rondo can carve all he wants...not looking good for Cs either way.

[snively]

I don't think he'll have as good a game against Miami as he did against NY if for no other reason than he played unbelievably yesterday.  I think Miami will have something planned to slow him up.  Bron and Wade will help out Rondo's defender if not take him on themselves. 

I can't help but feel the C's will get pasted in Miami tomorrow.  No PP, Green or Pietrus to put on Bron.  If Sasha and Daniels were way overmatched against Melo, they'll be steamrolled by the anointed one.

I think Daniels will fair better on LeBron than he did on Melo.  Still overmatched, but quickness has always bothered LeBron more than girth.  He's not as comfortable beating people up in the mid-post as Melo is.

But freeing up LBJ as a help defender by playing non-scorers like Pavlovic and Daniels (against LBJ he's a non-scorer) is going to make the Heat very difficult to score on inside. 

This is going to be a very difficult game to win.

[PosImpos]

In a word -- no.

Nobody is going to "carve up" Miami.

  Yeah, they probably won't let a single opponent go off against them all year...

Certainly there will be players that score against the Heat, no doubt.  But unless LBJ and Wade are taking the night off, I have a hard time seeing anybody "carving up" the Heat defense.

  So players will have big games against the Heat without "carving up" the Heat defense? Interesting.

Yes.  "Carving up" suggests that players will effortlessly score big against the Heat.  I just don't see that happening against that defense.

[ManUp]

I think he can, but their will have to be a balance of scoring and distributing. We need him to keep their attention while getting other guys good looks. The bigger problem will be how do we stop Lebron without anyone with the size to guard him.

[barefacedmonk]

Miami is no Turkey.