Is the good Rondo here to stay?

[GreenFaith1819]

Uh Oh.

The last person I saw called "Good-Bad" on the Celtics was a man by the name of Tony Allen...........

...for Rondo's sake (and to not have a similar outcome as with TA) - can we just say "Good Game - Bad Game Rondo"

[birdwatcher]

I think that now Rondo knows his team is intact for through the playoffs he's gonna play his arse off. I think all the trade talk did affect him as well as the rest of the team. Now they are clicking on ALL cylinders. He's cutting down his TO's for the most part, he's playing good D again and not relying so much on help and he's aggressive when he needs to be, not just against good teams or good pgs, but everyone.

[RyNye]

I thought yesterdays game was the worst 15+ assist game I have ever seen in my life.  He was incredibly sloppy with the ball (particularly in the first half where he looked like he was half asleep), but came out looking good because his teammates were red hot, and hitting everything (and the Sixers took long breaks from playing any defense whatsoever).

Honestly, it was only the first quarter that Rondo was sloppy. He had like what, 3 turnovers in that first quarter? Then 0 in the second half? That's really not bad at all, especially since a couple of those turnovers weren't really his fault (there were 2 cases I saw where it was on a break and the other player put themselves in a bad position, or weren't expecting the pass).

So, I don't think it would be accurate to suggest that last night we saw "good" Rondo.

Hey, if bad Rondo is giving us 7 points, 15 assists, 3 steals, and 4 boards in under 30 minutes I'm fine with that.

[CoachBo]

I thought yesterdays game was the worst 15+ assist game I have ever seen in my life.  He was incredibly sloppy with the ball (particularly in the first half where he looked like he was half asleep), but came out looking good because his teammates were red hot, and hitting everything (and the Sixers took long breaks from playing any defense whatsoever).

So, I don't think it would be accurate to suggest that last night we saw "good" Rondo.

With that said, overall, he has become much more consistent this season, and while he is still infuriating at times, and has his bad games, he has been much better about not having the games where he hurts the team more than he helps them, like we have seen in the past.

Good points all around. I can guarantee you that no one on the Celtics bench thought last night was "good Rondo."

With that said, he's a tad more consistent, and he's been extremely consistent distributing the basketball.

Last night, though, was a classic case of "good shooting creates assists," not what an assist ought to be.

[Chris]

Hey, if bad Rondo is giving us 7 points, 15 assists, 3 steals, and 4 boards in under 30 minutes I'm fine with that.

The problem was, had they not had an abnormally good shooting night (or had Philly actually played defense), suddenly that line would have been more along the lines of 3 points (two of his shots were insane luck), 8 assists, 3 steals, 4 boards, and 5 turnovers.  And that is not a good line.

Don't get me wrong, Rondo has been very good lately.  But I think the stats are obscuring things a bit.  He was terrible for large stretches last night, and he absolutely should never play that sloppy in big games.

[snively]

I thought yesterdays game was the worst 15+ assist game I have ever seen in my life.  He was incredibly sloppy with the ball (particularly in the first half where he looked like he was half asleep), but came out looking good because his teammates were red hot, and hitting everything (and the Sixers took long breaks from playing any defense whatsoever).

Rondo's 1st half turnovers were aggravating, but I thought he played a very solid game other than that.  Some very solid if unspectacular set-ups for his teammates. 

Using that set where they station Rondo at the mid-post and then run off-ball action with everyone else is something Doc specifically called for and Rondo executed well, even it's not as guard-glamorous as transition and pick and roll.  That offense is designed to get open jump shots for the many jump-shooting specialists on the team.  It's to Rondo's credit that he was able to exploit virtually every option in that set as well as to his teammates for executing and hitting. 

No reason to qualify it as "the worst 15+ assist game." 

[RyNye]

The problem was, had they not had an abnormally good shooting night (or had Philly actually played defense), suddenly that line would have been more along the lines of 3 points (two of his shots were insane luck), 8 assists, 3 steals, 4 boards, and 5 turnovers.  And that is not a good line.

I can play this game, too. If it hadn't been for a couple of missed open shots, or Bradley and Bass catching passes they should have caught, then Rondo would have had 5 points, 17 assists, 3 steals, 4 boards, and 3 turnovers.

It's unfair to go back and look at a game and blame the success purely on luck, just like it's unfair to go back and look at a game and blame the loss purely on "shots not falling." Revisionist history gets us nowhere.

 He was terrible for large stretches last night, and he absolutely should never play that sloppy in big games.

I disagree entirely he was terrible for "large stretches." Really, it was only the 1st quarter that he was extra sloppy, and even then he was still positive on the plus/minus. Stats can obscure things, but even worse is relying purely on the 'eye test' - it's called selection bias. You are just remembering the bad things while forgetting the good things.

[Fafnir]

Really, it was only the 1st quarter that he was extra sloppy,

He also was pretty sloppy in his second stint of the half. His two turnovers were converted into easy scores for Philly for 4 points when the C's were on the verge of going up 20 with 3 minutes to go.

(Pierce chipped in with his own dumb turnover right after for another fast break layup too)

Those 6 easy points were the only thing that got Philly within 14 at the half.

Rondo tightened it up in the second half however, his turnovers haven't been bothering me lately he's cut those down nicely. Its his drop in scoring efficiency and raw totals. Its clearly working so keep at it I guess, but he should be above .500 TS%!

[snively]

Really, it was only the 1st quarter that he was extra sloppy,

He also was pretty sloppy in his second stint of the half. His two turnovers were converted into easy scores for Philly for 4 points when the C's were on the verge of going up 20 with 3 minutes to go.

(Pierce chipped in with his own dumb turnover right after for another fast break layup too)

Those 6 easy points were the only thing that got Philly within 14 at the half.

Rondo tightened it up in the second half however, his turnovers haven't been bothering me lately he's cut those down nicely. Its his drop in scoring efficiency and raw totals. Its clearly working so keep at it I guess, but he should be above .500 TS%!

He's struggling in the paint again this year.  Not getting those floaters and flip shots to fall as regularly.  That combined with his free throw shooting and increased perimeter volume is hurting is efficiency.

But as you said, what he's doing is working.

[BballTim]

Hey, if bad Rondo is giving us 7 points, 15 assists, 3 steals, and 4 boards in under 30 minutes I'm fine with that.

The problem was, had they not had an abnormally good shooting night (or had Philly actually played defense), suddenly that line would have been more along the lines of 3 points (two of his shots were insane luck), 8 assists, 3 steals, 4 boards, and 5 turnovers.  And that is not a good line.

Don't get me wrong, Rondo has been very good lately.  But I think the stats are obscuring things a bit.  He was terrible for large stretches last night, and he absolutely should never play that sloppy in big games.

  8 assists would mean that they hit every shot they took from a Rondo pass. That wasn't the case. 12-13 assists would be more accurate, but that's not bad for sitting out the 4th. By the same token, he would have had 18-20 assists in one of the Bulls/Spurs games if they'd hit their shots at a normal clip. Rondo was a bit casual on a few possessions but was far from terrible.

[j804]

Hey, if bad Rondo is giving us 7 points, 15 assists, 3 steals, and 4 boards in under 30 minutes I'm fine with that.

The problem was, had they not had an abnormally good shooting night (or had Philly actually played defense), suddenly that line would have been more along the lines of 3 points (two of his shots were insane luck), 8 assists, 3 steals, 4 boards, and 5 turnovers.  And that is not a good line.

Don't get me wrong, Rondo has been very good lately.  But I think the stats are obscuring things a bit.  He was terrible for large stretches last night, and he absolutely should never play that sloppy in big games.

  8 assists would mean that they hit every shot they took from a Rondo pass. That wasn't the case. 12-13 assists would be more accurate, but that's not bad for sitting out the 4th. By the same token, he would have had 18-20 assists in one of the Bulls/Spurs games if they'd hit their shots at a normal clip. Rondo was a bit casual on a few possessions but was far from terrible.

Nice breakdown after all he is human he's been great though

[Marcus13]

Is he ever?  Of course not.

[Edgar]

Rondo was a bit casual on a few possessions

I like this word for his playing from time to time...

[greenpride32]

To me the "good" Rondo is the one who takes it to the hole to either create or score.  His assists are only up because he's not taking many shots and KG, Pierce, and Bass have been shooting very well lately.  While you might remember the great passes, the majority of them are just little drop offs to KG/Paul/Bass for open jumpers.  We don't really have anyone how can take it the hole consistently which is why it's so critical for Rondo to that for us, and we know he can do it.  I bet during Magic's and Stock's 10+ assist games they scored a LOT more than Rondo.

[2short]

I love the arguments on rondo gets his assists because he's playing with hall of famers.
Last year rondo had shaq (the REAL old version) looking like he'd make the all star team.  This year bass, who is responsible for a few of the turnovers for not paying attention or rotating to correct spot, is getting nice open jumpers.  You name the non hall of famer, mp, greg, avery even new signing hollins looks good when rondo gets them the ball at the right spot, right time.

I posted this question a bit ago.  Rondo is in his 6th year as a point guard for the celtics.  In my mind he is either #2 all time or #3...everyone does realize the only guy (so far) that I'd consider better as a point guard is THE start of the point guard Bob Cousy.  And yet some here nit pick rondo like there is no tomorrow.