Rondo has to go, sorry...

[Celtics18]

He also holds onto the ball longer than he should.  The Celtics offense is at its best when the ball is moving around the perimeter looking for the open man, Rondo doesn't facilitate that at all.  

Yeah, that's starting to bug me even more than his lack of shooting ability.  Too often, our offense is "pound pound pound" the ball on the perimeter for 10 seconds before trying to initiate something at the last second.  It doesn't work.

We either need to swing the ball around quickly, or penetrate.  Unfortunately, we don't do either, and the pick-and-roll is non-existent, as well.  I don't blame that all on Rondo -- Doc needs to make adjustments -- but his weaknesses make the team much easier to defend.

The ball-stopping gets MUCH worse in the last 3-5 minutes of close games, too.

Just like with every other NBA team who slows down the offense late in close games. 

[Tgro]

He also holds onto the ball longer than he should.  The Celtics offense is at its best when the ball is moving around the perimeter looking for the open man, Rondo doesn't facilitate that at all.  

Yeah, that's starting to bug me even more than his lack of shooting ability.  Too often, our offense is "pound pound pound" the ball on the perimeter for 10 seconds before trying to initiate something at the last second.  It doesn't work.

We either need to swing the ball around quickly, or penetrate.  Unfortunately, we don't do either, and the pick-and-roll is non-existent, as well.  I don't blame that all on Rondo -- Doc needs to make adjustments -- but his weaknesses make the team much easier to defend.

The ball-stopping gets MUCH worse in the last 3-5 minutes of close games, too.

It can't be overstated how much worse this team gets in 4th quarters of close games.  I don't know if it's a change in strategy by the Celtics, by their opponents, or both, but without fail in 4th quarters of close games the Celtics go away from whatever has been working before, slow way down, and rely almost exclusively on long jumpshots.  Recipe for disaster, especially when you're an old team with poor rebounding and no inside presence. 

At the time in the game when it's best to focus on getting the ball inside (high percentage shots, getting fouled), the Celtics move further away.

What is truly infuriating about it is that it's been a consistent trend for a long time now -- even Danny has publicly acknowledged the lack of execution in the fourth -- yet the team hasn't tried any drastically new tactics.  They stick with the same tired old stuff which has lost us so many games we were winning.

Amen.

TP

[BballTim]

He also holds onto the ball longer than he should.  The Celtics offense is at its best when the ball is moving around the perimeter looking for the open man, Rondo doesn't facilitate that at all.  

Yeah, that's starting to bug me even more than his lack of shooting ability.  Too often, our offense is "pound pound pound" the ball on the perimeter for 10 seconds before trying to initiate something at the last second.  It doesn't work.

We either need to swing the ball around quickly, or penetrate.  Unfortunately, we don't do either, and the pick-and-roll is non-existent, as well.  I don't blame that all on Rondo -- Doc needs to make adjustments -- but his weaknesses make the team much easier to defend.

The ball-stopping gets MUCH worse in the last 3-5 minutes of close games, too.

It can't be overstated how much worse this team gets in 4th quarters of close games.  I don't know if it's a change in strategy by the Celtics, by their opponents, or both, but without fail in 4th quarters of close games the Celtics go away from whatever has been working before, slow way down, and rely almost exclusively on long jumpshots.  Recipe for disaster, especially when you're an old team with poor rebounding and no inside presence. 

At the time in the game when it's best to focus on getting the ball inside (high percentage shots, getting fouled), the Celtics move further away.

What is truly infuriating about it is that it's been a consistent trend for a long time now -- even Danny has publicly acknowledged the lack of execution in the fourth -- yet the team hasn't tried any drastically new tactics.  They stick with the same tired old stuff which has lost us so many games we were winning.

  It's nothing new. We're now 2-3 in close games. Last year we were 8-8. The year we won the title we were 7-6.

[greenlion]

its really hard to let go of a piece that has so much to lay on the table any given night, i have been a big fan of rondo but i can't help but notice how he slacks up the pace on crucial times..it has been proven time and again, if he wills it, everybody follows suit..what he needs right now is a shift on his style of play, he's holding onto the ball for to long while waiting for a play to develop, as if there's no play at all, until he hits an uncontested jumper which all other teams are daring him to do..speed  and court smarts are his assets, he just needs to make better use of them, trade him? naaah...

[snively]

He also holds onto the ball longer than he should.  The Celtics offense is at its best when the ball is moving around the perimeter looking for the open man, Rondo doesn't facilitate that at all. 

Yeah, that's starting to bug me even more than his lack of shooting ability.  Too often, our offense is "pound pound pound" the ball on the perimeter for 10 seconds before trying to initiate something at the last second.  It doesn't work.

We either need to swing the ball around quickly, or penetrate.  Unfortunately, we don't do either, and the pick-and-roll is non-existent, as well.  I don't blame that all on Rondo -- Doc needs to make adjustments -- but his weaknesses make the team much easier to defend.

  Those 10 seconds are usually used up trying to free Ray for screens. I think it's also true that the Celts want to play at a slowish pace, I don't think that they want to see the older guys running up and down the court that many more times a game.

Whatever the reason, it's not working.  The Celts are 21st in offensive efficiency, and most of the teams below us are the league's bottom-feeders. We're only better than the Knicks, Cavaliers, Grizzlies, Pistons, Kings, Hornets, Raptors, Wizards, and Bobcats.  That's not a group you want to belong to.

 We kind of fit into that group, but we kind of don't. You just listed 9 of the bottom 11 in eFG%. We're 7th. Our main problem in offensive efficiency is offensive rebounding.

Well, our main problem in offensive efficiency is failure to put the ball in the hoop.  Offensive rebounding may play a limited role, but keep in mind that if we shoot, miss, and grab an offensive board, that counts as two possessions for efficiency purposes.

eFG% is only one aspect of offensive efficiency.  We're third in turnovers, which eats possessions.  We're also below average in free throws per field goal attempt. 

Roy, offensive rebounding plays a huge role in our offensive success.  Consider the biggest offensive difference between our 08/09 team (tied for 5th in offensive efficiency) and every team we've had since: offensive rebounding.  The very next year (09/10), we posted very similar rankings in every category (great shooting, good FT/FGA, terrible TO%) except for offensive rebounding, where we went from top 10 to bottom 3.  As a result our offensive efficiency dropped to 15th in the league.

When you don't extend possessions with offensive rebounds, your points per possession plummets.  The top rank ORB% in the team, the Bulls, just happens to be leading the league in offensive efficiency.

[Celtics4ever]

A lot of our last second stuff is PP over dribbling for a one on one shot.   This happens a lot and has nothing to do with Rondo.    It's like PP wants to be LeBron  in these spots.  He is our best finisher but the old top of the keep dribble right shoot at the elbow is a tad bit predictable.

[gpap]

Well, I've always felt that Rondo was VASTLY overrated by Celtics fans. I've never been a fan of his game as I think he's a little too much show and not quite enough finesse.

Having said that, I don't know that Rondo is what ills the team right now. Last night, I think KG is largely responsible for the loss. He missed a million jump shots at the end of the game instead playing in the paint and passing up the shot.

So again, not a fan of Rondo's game. But the Celts weaknesses go beyond Rondo.

[gpap]

Well, I've always felt that Rondo was VASTLY overrated by Celtics fans. I've never been a fan of his game as I think he's a little too much show and not quite enough finesse.

Having said that, I don't know that Rondo is what ills the team right now. Last night, I think KG is largely responsible for the loss. He missed a million jump shots at the end of the game instead playing in the paint and passing up the shot.

So again, not a fan of Rondo's game. But the Celts weaknesses go beyond Rondo.

[revcummings]

It was 4 on 5 last night on Offense because the Lakers backed way off of Rondo. If he could have developed a mid-range game the C's would be so good, but he hasn't and at this point he probably will not.

Doc should have taken Rondo out at the end and had Ray, Paul, Piet, Kg, and JO in and have Paul play the point forward. If this would have happened we would have won.

I think Rondo for Pau Gasol would be a smart move for us at this point, even better would be AB but I don't think the Lakers would move him for Rondo

[GreenFaith1819]

Well, for the immediate future, Rondo has to go to TOR, tonight.

And to BOS, to play CHI on Sunday.

[gpap]

Well, for the immediate future, Rondo has to go to TOR, tonight.

And to BOS, to play CHI on Sunday.

TP for politically correct post of the year (lol.)

[KG_ended_Bias]

I keep saying! I love Rondo, but his game isn't evolving & I would sell high around allstar break. That jumper losses games for us in the most precious moments. Kobe Bryant should never be able to rest against a TOP FLIGHT PG! I really would take Jimmer Fredette & their 1st(lottery) for Rondo without hesitation.

[Capricious]

Yep, definitely Rondo's fault that this team has no post presence, doesn't box out, and didn't get to the line...

Im so sick of people fixating on Rondo's jumpshot misses - no one makes 100% and hes shooting above league average on long twos...enough already.

[kozlodoev]

Yep, definitely Rondo's fault that this team has no post presence, doesn't box out, and didn't get to the line...

Maybe it's not Rondo's fault, but if Rondo cannot pick up this flawed team and lead it to wins, then it's a given that he won't be able to do it with the significantly more flawed teams we're likely to have in the mere future.

Just because you're an excellent piece in a well-oiled machine doesn't mean you'll be an excellent fundamental building block.

Im so sick of people fixating on Rondo's jumpshot misses - no one makes 100% and hes shooting above league average on long twos...enough already.

.399 on jump shots is now somehow above league average?

We can fixate on something else, of course, like the turnovers or the matador defense, for example.

[BballTim]

Im so sick of people fixating on Rondo's jumpshot misses - no one makes 100% and hes shooting above league average on long twos...enough already.

.399 on jump shots is now somehow above league average?

We can fixate on something else, of course, like the turnovers or the matador defense, for example.

  The .399 is eFG%, which includes all of the threes people shoot. Rondo's above average in both 10-15 feet and 16-23 feet, which is what he was saying.

  While we're fixating on his "matador defense", since you like stats, I took a look at synergy sports numbers for  shots and turnovers from players guarded by Rondo. He gives up 0.67 ppp, which is 15th in the league for all players (starters and reserves) at all position who meet the minimum number of plays.

  Also checking, but players like JJJ, Daniels and Moore all qualify. So Rondo's 15th out of probably 300+ players, which puts him in the top 5% for the league. I'm guessing, based on his "matador defense", you could easily name 5-6 point guards who fare better than him without checking?