Did Rondo Out Play Teague in Game 3?

[SHAQATTACK]

Rondo helps his team in so many more ways than stats.  He directs the offensive setand organizes the players on the court and makes spilt second choices faster than I can process them.  He is amazing.  He is a bit like a computer playing basketball.  When he is plugged in , he makes the team sooooo much  better.

Teague is all about personal effort , how can I show boat a steal , how can I intimidate my opponent with my quickness and prove I'm the better player. All about being the best player out there. IF his team happens to win while this macho show boating is going on fine. Long as he is big dog out there he seems satisfied.   He is too selfish to play on the Celtics.

[Meadowlark_Scal]

It is far easier to get the ball, and go do your thing...shoot, layups....ect.

I don't know, I hate to be contradictory but it is not that hard for Rondo because they don't even cover him.  He gets wide open mid range shots (his defender nowhere in sight) and he gets layups because his man is off double teaming Pierce.  This also makes it easier to get rebounds because there is no one to box him out.  He just goes where ever he wants to.

There is no question that Rondo is a good passer and rebounder but it is not like the defense has a plan to shut down Rondo.  Just the opposite, it is leave him open double team everyone else.

Well, most teams put their best on rondo...the lakers put kobe on him....miami, wade.....the hawks were trying to find a way.....hinrichs. teague.....if he is left alone...well, that is their problem....but don't go thinking that those rebounds are so easy....the other team has 7 footers grabbing them, rondo grabbed one over collins....actually it is because they cannot stop the ball deliverer....so they try the reciever...ever think of that..? You think they WANT to leave rondo open....as if his points don't count..?

[Redz]

Microcosm game for all that is Rondo.  Flashes of brilliance and periods of being a nonentity.  The box score looks good and they won the game, but there were definite moments where he was ineffective out there.  Teague was certainly more consistent.

  Teague went scoreless with 1 rebound, no assists and 1 turnover over the last 10 minutes of the game (including the overtime). Luckily for the Hawks he was consistent throughout the game and didn't have any periods when he was ineffective...

fine...go ahead and refute my memory with facts

  I'm just saying, if people watched other players as closely and critically as they watch Rondo they'd probably come to the conclusion that half the players in the league would need to improve to start in the D league.

Fair enough.  I was trying to give you a humorous nod, but I was on my kindle and the emoticons weren't available.  I guess I've just had an eye opening experience watching Teague this series.  We definitely are extra critical of Rondo because we know how great he can be.

[Roy H.]

I'd say +6 in assists, +10 in rebounds, and +3 in steals makes up for the lesser efficiency and increased turnovers.  I wouldn't call it a great game for Rondo, but it was a good one.

[Tgro]

If we switched players and put Teague on the Celtics yesterday and Rondo on the Hawks, do we win now because we have Teague?

I dont think we do.

I think we win because we have Rondo. But I further think we win because we're the better team. Teague is pretty good but as someone else put it, he's a good player. He affects himself more than his team. Rondo is the better team player.

Rondo > Teague

I didnt watch the game last night and think "wow, I wish we had Teague". But I was glad we had Rondo back. I dont think it was his best game last night. But how often can someone score a triple double and you think that wasn't a really good game??? Are our expectations so high on Rondo that triple doubles can seem measly to us?

The dude is our QB and does a pretty good job of it. Teague is just a good player.

[Celtics18]

Rondo gets the edge for taking over the game in overtime.

Rondo in overtime 2-5 FG (missed 2 lay-ups), 1-2 FT, 2 Rebs, and couple of nice passes for assists I think.

Took over?

What did Teague do?

OK, if you are saying that Rondo played better in the OT than Teague and that is why you feel Rondo was overall better, that I get.  I just didn't see Rondo take over anything.  If not for KG slamming home his missed layup, Rondo well could have been the goat.

He scored half the team's points in overtime.  He played good D and got timely rebounds. 

Maybe you don't like the term "took over."   That's fine. 

Teague had a good game, too, but, didn't do anything in overtime.  That's why I gave the edge to Rondo.

[Yogi]

Michael Cunningham: Elias: Rajon Rondo 1st player NBA history w/ 17 pts, 14 rebs, 12 assts, 4 stls in a playoff game #Hawks #Celtics

[Senninsage]

Personally, I'd say Rondo outplayed him, but Teague looked less sloppy. It isn't always the person who looks better doing what they do that always ends up with the better overall game. Plus, you also have to give an extra nod to Rondo for the win.

The way I always saw things, is that, if you come up big when it matters the most, and it ends up leading to a victory, then you have to get a great deal of credit, because nobody usually cares to remember or give much credit to how well someone played in that game where their team lost.

Jordan had some of his most amazing games in playoff series that were lost, but those aren't really the ones that are remembered. The primary thing Rondo did bad tonight, is that he held the ball too long at times, and we didn't get into our offense. I think when Rondo is giving up the ball to other people much earlier, or constantly lurking and picking his spots and disrupting the other team's defense is when we are at our best offensively. Rondo had a better team game; Teague had a better individual game.

[CelticHooligan3]

Teague played great...but mostly for himself. It is far easier to get the ball, and go do your thing...shoot, layups....ect. A man who leads his team, gets them all involved, and thinks of himself last, but still gets it done...THAT is a team leader = RONDO... Look at jordon....he used to score 50 a night...but he never went anywhere until he brought the rest of the team with him......and it isn't that easy either..not something you just do.....it takes 100% more bball IQ to be a team leader. I don't yet know if teague can do it..but he hasn't yet. So many here microanalyze rondo....but they don't hold anyone else on the team to the same standards. Rondo turns it over "trade him"  PP holds the ball forever and loses it....oh well, he is the cap'n....ray had turnovers, kg....ect.....rondo is on track with the GREATS of the league.....in all league history.....dispute that at the peril of your own credibility.....!

Gotta pretty much agree with this whole assesment right here. Pretty much spot on. And thank you Yogi, TP for those eye poppin facts right there. Another historical night for Rajon. He always seems to come to play when he has a chip on his shoulder.

I agree with Smitty though. Doc should be addressing the help defense from the bigs. The little guys shouldn't be able to get to the hole like that unabated.

[Celts Fan 92]

I thought Teague had a better game against Rondo.

For some reason, Rondo just feels like he needs to gamble 5 out of the 6 times he's guarding the man in front of him. Teague easily blew by him most of the time and either scored or got someone in a good position to score. Rondo needs to stay in front of Teague... he's too [dang] dangerous to mess around with.

Rondo also had some UGLY layup misses which frustrated the crap out of me, especially the ones at the end of the 4th quarter AND in overtime when he made that nice fakey but totally miss the most WIDE OPEN layup anyone could have made (including me).

Stuff like this angers me about Rondo but [dang] dude, he did have a triple double. He definitely helped his teammates. Turnovers got a bit out of hand.

Anyways, this was basically the most average triple double I've ever seen.

thought i was the only one it didnt seem like he had a triple double at all tbh lol

[LooseCannon]

The primary thing Rondo did bad tonight, is that he held the ball too long at times, and we didn't get into our offense. I think when Rondo is giving up the ball to other people much earlier, or constantly lurking and picking his spots and disrupting the other team's defense is when we are at our best offensively.

There was that play that was highlighted in replay where Ray Allen obviously wanted the ball and Rondo held it until Allen made the cut to the basket like he wanted.  Just like sometimes a bad defensive play is really the fault of the help defender, I think it's clear that, at least some of the time, Rondo holds onto the ball because people aren't playing off the ball the way that they should.

[Celtics4ever]

I still think Rondo outplayed him but Teague is a player and a nice find.

[2short]

The primary thing Rondo did bad tonight, is that he held the ball too long at times, and we didn't get into our offense. I think when Rondo is giving up the ball to other people much earlier, or constantly lurking and picking his spots and disrupting the other team's defense is when we are at our best offensively.

There was that play that was highlighted in replay where Ray Allen obviously wanted the ball and Rondo held it until Allen made the cut to the basket like he wanted.  Just like sometimes a bad defensive play is really the fault of the help defender, I think it's clear that, at least some of the time, Rondo holds onto the ball because people aren't playing off the ball the way that they should.

agreed, rondo has an amazing bb iq, i hope kg plays forever because i LOVE the two of them working together on both ends of the court

[CoachBo]

First three periods, by a long shot.

The poster above is correct: The ball wasn't moving, and too often that fell on Rondo who was a ball-stopper, "fiddlin' and diddlin'" with the ball as Johnny Most used to put it.

Fourth quarter and overtime were dominated by Rondo.

[CoachBo]

Rondo had a very good 4th quarter and OT.  He was not playing well until that point.  He deserves credit for getting the team going when they finally raced out to an 11 point lead.  Conversely he also showed zero urgency in the first half when the Celtic's offense was terrible.  And in the last 4 minutes of the 4th quarter where the Celtics didn't score was painful.  Twice the C's couldn't even get shots off to hit the rim largely because Rondo was standing around and showing no urgency as the shot clock wound down.  

And as mentioned earlier if KG doesn't crash the boards there it would be another missed point blank layup.  Rondo seems to miss the shot often on that ball reversal trick, sure the move is great to see but have to make the layup to complete the play.

And defensively yes Rondo had key steals but also played poorly when guarding Teague on key possessions.  Twice in the 4th quarter Teague had the ball with the shot clock winding down.  Instead of just staying in front of Teague and forcing up a contested jumper, Rondo went for the lazy reach around steal and what happened --- Teague drove right by and converted baskets twice as the shot clock expired.  Rondo has got to be smarter knowing that the clock is winding down and just play solid position defense instead of going for the flashy steal.

Rondo converted zero jump shots, missed several layups, had 6 turnovers, led a Celtic's offensive meltdown in the last 4 minutes of regulation and had several key defensive lapses.  However he also ignited the team during the 4th quarter, and was the most aggressive Celtic during overtime on both sides of the ball.

He also had 12 of the C's 18 assists, 4 steals, 17 points and incredibly led the team in rebounding.  His aggression on both ends likely saved the game for the Celtics.

To just look at stats and say 'Rondo had a triple double he was awesome' makes no sense.  To watch the game and put into context his actual performance on both ends shows he was great in some facets, terrible in others but ultimately led the team to victory which is what mattered most tonight...

TP to anyone who understands how meaningless the triple-double actually is. It's the most worthless, overrated stat in basketball. I mean, four more turnovers and Rondo had a quadruple-double.

With that said ... this analysis is spot-on. Rondo's game turned markedly in the fourth quarter. He was better -  not great, but better, as some of the garish misses from point-blank range and the off-target passes indicate - in the final period, and then found the greatness that he can deliver when he's playing intelligently in overtime.

NO question Rondo had a significant impact on the win. Equally no question that he could have had a more significant impact in the first three quarters if he'd attack off the dribble, keep the basketball moving and play with some modicum of defensive effort instead of that lazy reach-around nonsense that rarely works..