Chris Paul's struggles.

[Celtics18]

Chris Paul was clearly playing at about 60% against San Antonio.  He's very clearly better than this when he's healthy.

Having said that, this is a semantic debate anyway.  Chris Paul is a top 5 PG.  Rondo is a top 5 PG.  Which one is better is a matter of team needs and personal preference.

There's nothing to disagree with there.  There's no question Chris Paul is a top five point guard.

It's fair to point out his injury woes, but the truth is that being healthy is a part of being good.  And, Chris Paul keeps heading further down the line towards falling into that category of players known as "injury prone."

I definitely think that his toughness, smarts, strength, ball handling skills and shooting touch will serve him well as he continues to develop his old man game, though.  He'll probably be a top point guard for another 7 to 8 years based on those attributes, but his athleticism and his explosiveness will most likely continue to wane from here on out considering his injury troubles.

His status as the hands down number one point guard in the league will start to become more seriously challenged by the likes of Rondo, Westbrook, and possibly some of the younger guys like Kyrie Irving,  John Wall, and the disappointingly injury prone Ricky Rubio.

[Atzar]

I hear you.  For the record, I do agree with you that Chris Paul's injury history is a concern, and it was the biggest reason that I was worried about the Rondo-for-CP3 rumors.  The end of Brandon Roy's career is all too fresh in my mind.  

Having said that, if Chris Paul stays reasonably healthy then he'll age very well.  He's not a leaper or sprinter like Rose and Westbrook.  His game is based a lot more on shiftiness, handles and intelligence, and those shouldn't decay much with time.  I could see him playing at a high level well into his thirties if his knees don't quit on him.  So I definitely agree with you there.

[Celtics4ever]

I so glad we stuck with Rondo.

[mctyson]

For all you Rondo haters...where is your savior now...leading his team to the golf course..!!! cp3 is actually allen iverson.....big deal...no one will see the ball over 1/2 court anyway with him..!

Rondo is my favorite player in the NBA...arguably in my personal top 3 of the last 15 years.  Can't say enough about his game, I think he is a perfect PG, even if you'd like him to be a better shooter.

Having said that...

It is absolute nonsense 20/20 hindsight to bash Chris Paul and  praise Rondo.  Chris Paul is the only reason LAC went to the playoffs this year, and as a 5 seed no less.  This is a franchise that was one of the biggest jokes in professional sports for decades. 

The Celtics would be just as good if not better with CP3. 

[wdleehi]

I will still take Paul over Rondo.  

Rondo, top 5 pg.  Paul, top 5 player.  


Paul and the Clippers beat a team that most on here think is better then the two teams the Celtics have played.


Paul lost to possible the best team in the NBA this season with a ton of experience.



Paul had a bad series.  It happens.  We have seen every star player in the NBA have a bad season.  It usually takes a deep team with more then one star to overcome that.


The Clippers are no a deep team.  The other star on the Clippers (Griffin) isn't ready to fill the void created when Paul has a bad series.  



One more thing, believing that there are PGs out there that are better then Rondo (believing there are better players at any position then the Celtics for that matter) doesn't make a person "a hater".  That is such a weak argument to make.  

[2short]

To me the main thing is what we would have given up to get Chris Paul on the team WITHOUT an extension signed.  It was for a strike shortened season and then he'd leave if we couldn't talk him into staying 
Its a no brainer, we keep rondo, top 5 pg for sure, affordable contract compared to everyone else at his level and a guy that can dominate all aspects of the game.  PG's who can do this, rose (injured), Paul who didn't show he could, Westbrook who isn't really a pg and Rondo.  So to me its common sense on the trade I'd rather Rondo, I don't hate Chris Paul.  Rondo plays many aspects of pg position better than Paul but Paul is very very good.

[scaryjerry]

One more thing:

Someone PLEASE tell me this - How good is a weapon (Chris Paul's shooting) if he can't even use it?

Chris Paul has historically struggled vs Rajon Rondo and BOS.

And I guess we can add the Spurs to that list.

Chris Paul has struggled against The Celtics, not Rondo
This is a team game. The teams Chris Paul went up against in the playoffs literally threw double teams to get the ball out of his hands. Other teams knew without Paul, the rest of the Clippers would play like a chicken with its head cut off. They seemed too inept to score when Paul was on the bench or was double-teamed And it doesn't help that he has a groin injury either, which limits his quickness/mobility

I totally disagree with Charles saying Rondo has been the best point guard this season. Unlike Paul who is constantly being thrown at him, no one guards Rondo. His defenders step like 5 feet away from him daring him to shoot. Which gives him all the airspace and clear court vision for him to dominate. If Chris Paul got that airspace, he would murder the opposing teams

Youre such a chris paul homer...its frankly annoying

Chris Paul has struggled against rondo, dating back to when rondo was a 2nd year player he had some of his better games against "cp3"
Chris Paul was atrocious against the spurs and I couldnt care less about injuries...then get off the court

[scaryjerry]

And as for Chris Paul being injured....as one of the best PFs in the game in Zach Randolph stated just a week or so ago:

"Everyone is banged up right now."

Our own PG played with a dangled arm last yrs playoffs - remember that? That was our ONLY win vs MIA that series, too.

Our own PG needs to have his back treated during his few minutes out of every game, too - remember that he hurt his back a few weeks ago?

Rajon Rondo is MANNING UP. He's Ram Tough.

Either the number three runner up to MVP voting needs to MAN UP, or we neeed to start re-evaluating Chris Paul's ranking.

So KG's knee injury which made him miss the 2009 playoffs and hobbled in the 2010 playoffs a normal "banged up" injury? I think not. You can't judge every injury the same

So youre comparing KGs career altering knee injury to chris paul being banged up?
haha. fail.

[Fafnir]

Chris Paul was atrocious against the spurs and I couldnt care less about injuries...then get off the court

I doubt you were so dismissive about the captain during his bad games. Or when Rondo was hobbled by Wade last year.

[scaryjerry]

Chris Paul was atrocious against the spurs and I couldnt care less about injuries...then get off the court

I doubt you were so dismissive about the captain during his bad games. Or when Rondo was hobbled by Wade last year.

Actually...no.... If even a celtic is playing poorly for a consistent stretch of games and is on the court...I dont want to hear about injuries or they can get off the court too...I get annoyed with Pierces injury reports..I believe theyre all exaggerated

[BballTim]

Chris Paul was atrocious against the spurs and I couldnt care less about injuries...then get off the court

I doubt you were so dismissive about the captain during his bad games. Or when Rondo was hobbled by Wade last year.

  Elbow injury aside, many people here point to Rondo's play when he's less than healthy as proof that he's inconsistent and immature.

[soap07]

Chris Paul was atrocious against the spurs and I couldnt care less about injuries...then get off the court

I doubt you were so dismissive about the captain during his bad games. Or when Rondo was hobbled by Wade last year.

  Elbow injury aside, many people here point to Rondo's play when he's less than healthy as proof that he's inconsistent and immature.

Many people here also point to Rondo's play when he is healthy as proof that he's inconsistent and immature.

[BballTim]

Chris Paul was atrocious against the spurs and I couldnt care less about injuries...then get off the court

I doubt you were so dismissive about the captain during his bad games. Or when Rondo was hobbled by Wade last year.

  Elbow injury aside, many people here point to Rondo's play when he's less than healthy as proof that he's inconsistent and immature.

Many people here also point to Rondo's play when he is healthy as proof that he's inconsistent and immature.

  The response you'd expect from the people who don't make a correlation between his health and his play, obviously.

[Celtics4ever]

People love to complain and whine though.  We see trade Rondo posts after games where he has triple doubles all the time here.  Hence, I don't put a lot of stock in some of the people here.

I don't think Paul is the same player post injury or fully healed.   He is still a good player but not the same player he once was folks.

[wdleehi]

People love to complain and whine though.  We see trade Rondo posts after games where he has triple doubles all the time here.  Hence, I don't put a lot of stock in some of the people here.

I don't think Paul is the same player post injury or fully healed.   He is still a good player but not the same player he once was folks.

He made the Clippers into a 5th seed.


He lead them to the 2nd round against a team many thought were a title contender. 



He is still a top 5 player in this league.