Rondo has to go, sorry...

[Green Lantern]

Rondo is not perfect we all know that, but addressing our needs at center far outweighs our deficiencies at PG.

I love this team and the heart they've shown time and time again but our glaring weakness is at center. We need a solid center to compete this season for a final run with the Big Three.

Easing the rebounding edge will give us one last shot...

[kozlodoev]

I do agree, though, that for an all-star, Rondo disappears (and appears utterly useless) way too much. 

Rondo has been an all star once -- and so has Jamaal Magloire. Just saying.

[Celtics4ever]

14 points and seven assists isn't disappearing.  He is what he is but he is still better than Bradley.

[chambers]

lol if we'd won the game this wouldn't even be a topic.

Did you forget his 14 points and 7 assists?
That's 28 of our points right there.
How many players can go basket to basket and score on a one man transition play like he can?
So easy to point out his faults.
What about KG's terrible game?
Pierce's below average game?
Rondo gets 14/7 and he's the reason we lost?
SO what about 2008 or in the finals in 2010?

Such over repeated targeting of one player.
We wouldn't have MADE the finals in 2008 or 2010 without Rondo.
Do you honestly think this team has a chance this year without him?
If the Celtics are so worried about Rondo being left open, sub him out for the last 5 minutes and put another solid unit in.
But don't blame the entire loss on Rondo, he's such a scapegoat for our terrible fourth quarter play and I'm sick of it.

[CelticsFanNC]

  It's easy to blame Rondo.  He isn't as effective in the 4th quarter as he is the rest of the game but he's not the reason we lost that game.  If we could rebound the darn ball that game wouldn't even be close enough in the 4th quarter for LA to pull out a win.

  You don't trade your best asset no matter what his name is unless you are getting a return that is as good or better. That is especially the case when your other key players are ancient by NBA standards.  Trading away Rondo for a quick fix this season with this roster would be just DUMB.

  Nobody really talks about the fact that Pierce missed Ray at the end of regulation and Pierce missed a wide open Bass in the corner at then end of OT.  In both instances we ended up with a bad and forced shot.   How about the FACT that KG was dreadful for the entire second half.  How about the FACT that with the exception of a short stretch in the 4th quarter Pierce was dreadful the entire game?  How about the FACT that JO was about useless in another game where we really needed his size to show up for a change?

 This loss is not on Rondo by any means.  

[Roy H.]

I do agree, though, that for an all-star, Rondo disappears (and appears utterly useless) way too much. 

Rondo has been an all star once -- and so has Jamaal Magloire. Just saying.

Twice, actually. 

[kozlodoev]

I do agree, though, that for an all-star, Rondo disappears (and appears utterly useless) way too much. 

Rondo has been an all star once -- and so has Jamaal Magloire. Just saying.

Twice, actually. 

Actually, that's right. His NBA player page only shows one, though.

[chambers]

The OP is just repeating what he heard on the TNT broadcast anyway, when they talked about Kobe guarding Rondo+roaming to help.
Again, rehashed, over exaggerated, old.

I'll also add that the same TNT crew pointed out that pretty much all of the Celtics starting five points in the paint come from Rondo's penetration.

Which one is it going to be?
Do you think we'd be in with a chance to even beat these top teams with 5 minutes to go without Rondo holding down the fort for the first 43 minutes of each game?

[Jay D]

When Rondo does shoot he hits the jump shot at an efficient rate...his problem is he does not shoot enough.

This is confidence problem right here. Said it before, but I think it's really just that. He's not confident enough that he thinks most of his jumpers will brick, so unless he's really wide open, he won't shoot. He does not have that in him, where he will shoot if the defender is far back. He thinks it won't go in, therefore a waste of possession.

He needs to be confident and just take those shots if defenders are daring him too. Miss or not. It starts from there. He can hit those 15-18 footers, don't really see any other reason why he doesnt shoot that much unless he's really open.

Thats what I've always thought. That he's just not confident enough to hit them in and everyone telling him that probably doesn't help much either (although it should make him determined to get better imo)

Seems to me in this video Rondo can shoot fine and its all in his head.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBRKYpB5Cfg

[rickyfan3.0...]

I love Rondo, but if he isn't going to EARN coverage he needs to sit against teams that don't cover him. I would rather Paul handle the rock, and you let Pietrus play.

You don't need a point guard against the Lakers. They can't hurt you there.

[traderondo]

I've said it once and I'll say it again...Delonte West is a better player than Rajon Rondo and as long as Rondo is on the team we will not win a series against the Heat.  Last year we didn't lose because Rondo was injured, we lost because Rondo was playing.  Miami, and other teams, are just to good to be playing 5-on-4.  When he got taken out of the game, DWest got more minutes and played much more effective.  Less turnovers, more efficient shooting, making Miami play 5-on-five.

Any argument for Rondo saying we were able to win a championship with him needs to be dismissed.  At the time he was playing with three HOF players IN THEIR PRIME.  One will go down as the best 3point shooter ever, another as arguably the best 4 in the game, and another's name is Paul Pierce.

Last thoughts...Trade Rondo for...anyone

[ms.ball]

lol if we'd won the game this wouldn't even be a topic.

Did you forget his 14 points and 7 assists?
That's 28 of our points right there.
How many players can go basket to basket and score on a one man transition play like he can?
So easy to point out his faults.
What about KG's terrible game?
Pierce's below average game?
Rondo gets 14/7 and he's the reason we lost?
SO what about 2008 or in the finals in 2010?

Such over repeated targeting of one player.
We wouldn't have MADE the finals in 2008 or 2010 without Rondo.
Do you honestly think this team has a chance this year without him?
If the Celtics are so worried about Rondo being left open, sub him out for the last 5 minutes and put another solid unit in.
But don't blame the entire loss oIn Rondo, he's such a scapegoat for our terrible furth quarter play and I'm sick of it.

I agree, the very reason why I didn't look at the forum last night, I just knew Rondo was going to be thrown under the bus. Pierce had a sub par game, and made a bone headed play at the end of regulation, and missed Ray. He could have called for a time out, no he was just standing there. Rondo was the only trying to actually call for it. It amazes me that last game Rondo has 14 assits no turn overs and we get the win, I don't see one thread about him having to go. Tonight he has 14/7 we lose and its his fault? Never mind the fact that K.G had an off game, Pierce wasn't his self. It's all on Rajon. One word # ridiculous!

[vinnie]

The OP is just repeating what he heard on the TNT broadcast anyway, when they talked about Kobe guarding Rondo+roaming to help.
Again, rehashed, over exaggerated, old.

I'll also add that the same TNT crew pointed out that pretty much all of the Celtics starting five points in the paint come from Rondo's penetration.

Which one is it going to be?
Do you think we'd be in with a chance to even beat these top teams with 5 minutes to go without Rondo holding down the fort for the first 43 minutes of each game?

So you are saying that the fact that no one on the Lakers ha to guard Rondo the entir game is meaningless and had no impact on the Celtics? I simply can't remember another point guard who is supposedly in the top tier who the opposing team can ignore the whole game and not get burned. H is. Unique athlete, but i am not sure how much Better he is going to get - and he needs to get better.

[BballTim]

He is the single reason we have not won another title IMO.

Hear me out...

Look at a game like this, where we come in hot, playing great D, doing the things we do best. But on Offense, the Lakers LITERALLY did not guard him. Is there any other "Superstar" even All-Star that can be said about? He is an absolute liability on offense, and his time here will be over soon.

I love Rondo too, but he is the reason we dont win big games anymore, its because we are playing 4 on 5 on offense.

They should have put Ray at the point in this game and went:
Ray
Pierce
Pietrus
Bass
KG

We would have won easily, IMO.

GO

  I guess this might be the wrong time to mention that the offense is better when Rondo plays. Or maybe that we were a +6 with Rondo in the game, and a -7 in the 8 minutes he was on the bench.

[CelticG1]

Rondo just isnt a star. He is a good unique player but his value is ball  handling and intangibles. He needs to work harder than everyone else and make up for his liabilities by being a disruptive defender, getting guys in foul trouble getting to loose balls etc.

He needs to do that consistently or else he doesn't have that much value to a team that's trying to be good. Problem is.that type of stuff isn't aseasy as hitting an elbow juper but since rondo can't do that he needs to do everything else.

Right now what pgs have more value than rondo? Paul, Williams, Rose, Westbrook, Curry, Evans, Irving, Rubio

Really domt.think any gm would trade one of those guys straight up which is sad. Rondo is more in the Parker, Wall Conley, Calderon group than the former