Its okay if your best player is not your number 1 scoring option.

[Marcus13]

I agree...but you do have to have a player that you can count on to get you 20-25 ppg night in night out

[rasta1]

I agree...but you do have to have a player that you can count on to get you 20-25 ppg night in night out

Golden State?

[ianboyextreme]

Rondo and Russell.  Yup, that seems like a reasonable analogy.

Of course someone had to suggest I was comparing the two. Thanks for jumping on the obvious train. DISCLAIMER: Iam not comparing Rajon to Bill Russell.

What is the point of mentioning Russell at all then? Whether or not you mean to, you in fact are comparing the two players. You should change the thread title if that's not your desire.

EDIT: I changed the thread title.

The point? Naming a famous Celtic who was the cornerstone of the team yet not the primary scoring option. Just like Rondo will be. I am not comparing Rondo to Bill. The reason I named Russell is because of what I just explained. And thank you for changing the thread title, it is easier to understand.

[ianboyextreme]

Bill Russell NEVER took a game off, Rajon Rondo constantly takes games off... this comparison doesn't work.

Rondo plays his heart out every nght. I think you confuse not scoring 20 a game with taking a night off. He plays hurt and sacrifices his body every time he goes to the basket. Of all the arguements against Rondo, this one has the least merit of all.

[ianboyextreme]

It's not ok. It's a huge handicap to the starting team. No sense going over the obvious reasons. AND HE'S ALWAYS HURT!

Hes not always hurt, and when he is, he plays anyway. Whenever he is hurt its because he sacrifices his body to get the team the W.

[ianboyextreme]

I agree...but you do have to have a player that you can count on to get you 20-25 ppg night in night out

You dont have to, but it helps. If every guy on the starting 5 is scoring 16 points, thats just as good.

[jiriwelsch]

You dont need a guy to be a 25 ppg scorer to be the centerpiece of your team. No one has said Rondo should be our leading scorer. He shoudnt. But he is the perfect piece to build around because he does everything. He is a gap filler. To me, he is eons better to build around than a young scorer because of all he brings. He is a great point guard and that generally the most essential piece on a basketball team. Obviously there are exceptions but most teams have a solid point guard. Chris Paul isnt even the number 1 scoring option on his team. That offense runs through Blake Griffin. For me, Rondo is the essential first piece.

yeah but they have to be one of the top 25 best NBA players.  Thats where the Celtics are done.  They don't have anyone, in my opinion and in most analysts expert opinion, within the NBA's Top 25 Player list.  Here's my list-
Kobe
Wade
Lebron
CP3
Dwight
Durant
Deron Williams
Dirk
Rose
Love
Westbrook
Carmelo
Grainger
Horford
Kobe
Ginobli
Blake
Durant
Aldridge

[ianboyextreme]

You dont need a guy to be a 25 ppg scorer to be the centerpiece of your team. No one has said Rondo should be our leading scorer. He shoudnt. But he is the perfect piece to build around because he does everything. He is a gap filler. To me, he is eons better to build around than a young scorer because of all he brings. He is a great point guard and that generally the most essential piece on a basketball team. Obviously there are exceptions but most teams have a solid point guard. Chris Paul isnt even the number 1 scoring option on his team. That offense runs through Blake Griffin. For me, Rondo is the essential first piece.

yeah but they have to be one of the top 25 best NBA players.  Thats where the Celtics are done.  They don't have anyone, in my opinion and in most analysts expert opinion, within the NBA's Top 25 Player list.  Here's my list-
Kobe
Wade
Lebron
CP3
Dwight
Durant
Deron Williams
Dirk
Rose
Love
Westbrook
Carmelo
Grainger
Horford
Kobe
Ginobli
Blake
Durant
Aldridge

Well, I'm sorry but your top 25 ranking doesnt set anything in stone for me. I'm not too worried what anybody's rankings are for that matter. This isnt a computer program. In my opinion, Rajon is effortlesly in the top 25, maybe top 10. And if analyst rankings really matter to you, espn had him at 17. Performances change every night. One day a guy could be statistically ranked 10 and the next 8. There is no score for each player.

[greenhead85]

I agree with the OP. Magic was never the number 1 scoring option of LAL. Kareem was, then was followed by either Byron or Worthy. Rondo is in similar situation as Magic. Their  differences are (1) Magic is the better scorer, (2) achieved more success mainly due to his skills set coupled with a tall height and (3) surrounded by athletic players who were willing to run and gun at full speed.

[greenpride32]

This year has proven what I've suspected all along (and really what most GM's around the league feel as well); Rondo is a good player but he is not elite.  Surround him with 3 all-star players, and he looks like an all-star himself.  Put him on a team with 3 guys are past their prime and no longer all-star performers and he just looks a like a good player who is a borderline or below all-star.

Guys like Magic and Isiah didn't have to put up 25 points a night because they had good teammates who could score.  But the key difference between them and Rondo is they were both offensive threats in their own rights.  You cannot intentionally foul them late in games, or zone off them to cut off passing lanes because you had to respect their abilities.  This is where Rondo falls short. 

Rondo couldn't make a "B" team version of Team USA last year, and he's not invited to the Olympic camp this year.  I think you have to look at those guys as the true elites in the game today.  I mean if somebody wants to argue Rondo is a top 10 player; there isn't any reason why he wouldn't be offered an invite.

[vinnie]

Rondo is a very good player. Rondo is not a top 10 player and might be a stretch for top 25.