Rajon Rondo's March

[BballTim]

Here's the sequel thread to "Rajon Rondo's February":  http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=69934.msg1631531#msg1631531

Based on his February, it was proclaimed that Rondo's shooting was "much improved".

Here's his stats for March:

11.4 points, 11.1 assists, 5.6 rebounds, 1.3 steals - 36.8 minutes - 37%/24%/56% shooting

Pretty turrible shootin.  Thoughts?

To me, it seems he's as bad a shooter as ever, but now he's a terrible finisher as well.  This is partially because he's coming off an injury... partially, because he's no longer sharing the court with 3 hall of fame champs carrying the offensive load and drawing defensive attention.   Collectively for the season, his 3P and FT shooting is as bad as ever.  His overall FG% is a career low.

  We'll see how much of it's due to his coming back from injury next year. Hopefully your claim that he's missing shots because he's not playing with the big three will prove to be as accurate as all of your posts claiming that his being on the court with those guys was the main reason he got all those assists.

It'll only be a matter of time before he calls Bass a future hall of famer

"I mean...Bass is practically a hall of famer if you're just talking mid-range shots. Case still stands - Rondo can only get assists with hall of famers and is overrated."

  Pretty much. I couldn't even count the number of posters who have told me over the years that the only reason Rondo got so many assists was that he was surrounded by so many HOFers. He's getting about the same assists now, all Danny has to do is figure out which of the players on the court with Rondo are future HOFers and hold on to them. The rebuild's almost done.

[Clench123]

We all know how he usually doesn't put in much effort during regular season.  So you know he wouldn't give a [dang] in a tanking season, especially with nothing to play for in the postseason.  He's definitely phoning it in and I'm a huge Rondo's fan.

With that said, I wouldn't bet against this guy because we've seen what he's capable of.  You may attribute his overall success to the fact that he played with three HOF'amers but his playoffs performances is more telling than anything else.

I've softened my tone against trading him but if we can't get anyone better, keep Rondo.

[BballTim]

Here's the sequel thread to "Rajon Rondo's February":  http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=69934.msg1631531#msg1631531

Based on his February, it was proclaimed that Rondo's shooting was "much improved".

Here's his stats for March:

11.4 points, 11.1 assists, 5.6 rebounds, 1.3 steals - 36.8 minutes - 37%/24%/56% shooting

Pretty turrible shootin.  Thoughts?

To me, it seems he's as bad a shooter as ever, but now he's a terrible finisher as well.  This is partially because he's coming off an injury... partially, because he's no longer sharing the court with 3 hall of fame champs carrying the offensive load and drawing defensive attention.   Collectively for the season, his 3P and FT shooting is as bad as ever.  His overall FG% is a career low.

  We'll see how much of it's due to his coming back from injury next year. Hopefully your claim that he's missing shots because he's not playing with the big three will prove to be as accurate as all of your posts claiming that his being on the court with those guys was the main reason he got all those assists.

I knew his assists would be down and he'd have trouble scoring.  His assists are down and he's having trouble scoring.

But yeah... he's averaging slightly more assists than I predicted this year (1 more than I guessed)... slightly worse offensively (1 less than I guessed/worse shooting percentage). 

http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=69141.msg1606022#msg1606022

My prediction:  36 games... 32.3 min - 12.3 points, 8.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals.   44%/25%/63%

So far:  25 games.... 32.8 min - 11.5 points, 9.5 assists, 5 rebounds, 1.3 steals 38%/29%/65%

Overall it's about what I expected out of post-prime Rondo.  He's still very good.  One of the best PGs in the league.

  I think you made a lot of predictions, going down to around 8 points and 6 assists a game and ranging higher. One of them had to be fairly close. But I was talking about your posts attributing his high assist totals to playing with such great shooters. He's averaging about as many assists per minute as he has in the past (especially if you ignore his first few games back). I guess the conclusion must be that he's now surrounded by equally great shooters?

[RJ87]

Here's the sequel thread to "Rajon Rondo's February":  http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=69934.msg1631531#msg1631531

Based on his February, it was proclaimed that Rondo's shooting was "much improved".

Here's his stats for March:

11.4 points, 11.1 assists, 5.6 rebounds, 1.3 steals - 36.8 minutes - 37%/24%/56% shooting

Pretty turrible shootin.  Thoughts?

To me, it seems he's as bad a shooter as ever, but now he's a terrible finisher as well.  This is partially because he's coming off an injury... partially, because he's no longer sharing the court with 3 hall of fame champs carrying the offensive load and drawing defensive attention.   Collectively for the season, his 3P and FT shooting is as bad as ever.  His overall FG% is a career low.

  We'll see how much of it's due to his coming back from injury next year. Hopefully your claim that he's missing shots because he's not playing with the big three will prove to be as accurate as all of your posts claiming that his being on the court with those guys was the main reason he got all those assists.

It'll only be a matter of time before he calls Bass a future hall of famer

"I mean...Bass is practically a hall of famer if you're just talking mid-range shots. Case still stands - Rondo can only get assists with hall of famers and is overrated."

I just Lol'd

There are some that Rondo will never please, people will always take shots at him and gripe about how he's overrated because their minds are made up already.

With that said, there's no question he's shooting badly but he's still managing to impact the game in other ways. 11.1 assists (also he averaged 9.9 assists for February - remember when people said he'd never be able to crack double digit assists without the Big Three?) and 5.6 rebounds (not too shabby for an over the hill, 6'1" PG with a bum knee).

All in all, Rondo's up and down play has been about what I expected so far. Would I like his percentages to be higher? Sure, but this season has been more about process than results for the entire team and I'm a bit more interested in the types of shots he's taking. He's clearly more comfortable being a facilitator than a scorer, but is he willing to be more aggressive in finding his own offense?

[pearljammer10]

Here's the sequel thread to "Rajon Rondo's February":  http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=69934.msg1631531#msg1631531

Based on his February, it was proclaimed that Rondo's shooting was "much improved".

Here's his stats for March:

11.4 points, 11.1 assists, 5.6 rebounds, 1.3 steals - 36.8 minutes - 37%/24%/56% shooting

Pretty turrible shootin.  Thoughts?

To me, it seems he's as bad a shooter as ever, but now he's a terrible finisher as well.  This is partially because he's coming off an injury... partially, because he's no longer sharing the court with 3 hall of fame champs carrying the offensive load and drawing defensive attention.   Collectively for the season, his 3P and FT shooting is as bad as ever.  His overall FG% is a career low.

  We'll see how much of it's due to his coming back from injury next year. Hopefully your claim that he's missing shots because he's not playing with the big three will prove to be as accurate as all of your posts claiming that his being on the court with those guys was the main reason he got all those assists.

It'll only be a matter of time before he calls Bass a future hall of famer

"I mean...Bass is practically a hall of famer if you're just talking mid-range shots. Case still stands - Rondo can only get assists with hall of famers and is overrated."

I just Lol'd

There are some that Rondo will never please, people will always take shots at him and gripe about how he's overrated because their minds are made up already.

With that said, there's no question he's shooting badly but he's still managing to impact the game in other ways. 11.1 assists (also he averaged 9.9 assists for February - remember when people said he'd never be able to crack double digit assists without the Big Three?) and 5.6 rebounds (not too shabby for an over the hill, 6'1" PG with a bum knee).

All in all, Rondo's up and down play has been about what I expected so far. Would I like his percentages to be higher? Sure, but this season has been more about process than results for the entire team and I'm a bit more interested in the types of shots he's taking. He's clearly more comfortable being a facilitator than a scorer, but is he willing to be more aggressive in finding his own offense?

All these are points great points and I've lol'd as well. "Rondo can't play without the big three" yet he still finds a way to average 11 assists per game? Give me a break people.

[D.o.s.]

We all knew Rondo was going to keep getting his assist numbers -- the bigger difference is that Rondo's getting his numbers on a (mostly) losing team.

[Eddie20]

I don't think anyone has ever denied that Rondo is an amazing passer. That said, there is equally no denying that his shooting has been abysmal. This despite the fact that many theorized that it would be much improved since all he likely did was shoot during his rehab.


Rondo with his upcoming contract situation, and most likely looking for max money, should be scrutinized. The more you watch him play the more you wonder if physically he'll ever recoup most of his athletic ability. Then you have to factor in who will he be able to play alongside of, as he needs players around him with a specific skill-set to complement his lack of shooting. Can he coincide with a ball dominant player such as Anthony? Can he play with a back to the basket post up big and not be anywhere, but on the weakside of the court so his defender doesn't immediately double off of Rondo?

And those who think Rondo won't be looking for max money, or real close to it...

Larry Coon:

This summer, Boston has two potential extension options for Rondo. The team can tack on a three-year, $44.8 million extension to the final year of his current deal without a signing bonus, which would pay him the scheduled $12.9 million in 2014-15, $13.9 million in 2015-16; $14.9 million in 2016-17; and $16 million in 2017-18. Or, if Boston can stomach a signing bonus payment of $6.6 million, those annual salaries would drop to $11.7 million, $12.5 million and $13.4 million in the extended seasons.

Rondo:

"It’s kind of like, I would say, maybe college recruiting," Rondo said after Friday's practice when asked what might intrigue him about free agency. "I’m pretty sure a lot more goes into it in the NBA. A lot more money is spent. I’ve heard stories, guys getting called right at midnight. It’s something that I haven’t experienced. I may want to go through it. I haven’t thought about it at all."

ESPN.com's Chris Broussard reported Thursday that, "Rondo is looking forward to becoming an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career in the summer of 2015. It's not that he's dead set on leaving Boston, but he wants to keep his options open in terms of both winning and money. [Celtics president of basketball operations Danny] Ainge has to decide whether he wants to gamble on the possibility of re-signing Rondo or trade him around the 2014 draft or before next season's trade deadline."

I wouldn't even want to pay him the money Coon is talking about, much less the money he might he think he's worth.

[kozlodoev]

All these are points great points and I've lol'd as well. "Rondo can't play without the big three" yet he still finds a way to average 11 assists per game? Give me a break people.

The narrative was that Rondo cannot carry the team on his back without the Big Three (or without someone reasonably close to their skill level). I think so far it's been fairly self-evident that assists or no assists, Rondo hasn't made much of a difference in overall team performance.

[mmmmm]

All these are points great points and I've lol'd as well. "Rondo can't play without the big three" yet he still finds a way to average 11 assists per game? Give me a break people.

The narrative was that Rondo cannot carry the team on his back without the Big Three (or without someone reasonably close to their skill level). I think so far it's been fairly self-evident that assists or no assists, Rondo hasn't made much of a difference in overall team performance.

Wait.  Someone was claiming Rondo could "carry the team on his back without the Big Three (or without someone reasonably close to their skill level)."?

Is that something anybody really every argued?

[nickagneta]

Just a guess but if Rondo was lighting it up from the field then LarBrd33 would be complaining that Danny didn't trade Rondo and that Rondo was killing the tank job.

But Rondo is shooting poorly after having major knee surgery and not returning to health ala Wes Welker or Adrian Peterson. So of course because the part of his game that would naturally be affected, his ability to finish and increase his shooting percentage, its time to complain that Rondo is a horrible shooter and proof that he is past his prime.

I think I am going to file this under, sometimes, Rondo just can not please people no matter what he does.

Me, I am happy because it appears Rondo is recovering tremendously and after a summer of more strength and conditioning and getting time to work more on his shooting, that Rondo will be fine and return to his old self. I am not under the delusion that Rondo is suddenly going to transform into Ray Allen with his shooting. But if Rondo can come back and show he can run the offense as effectively as he can, make other players better with his superb passing, rebound like the warrior he is, go back to being a very good to elite finisher around the rim, and can come back with 50%/33%/70% numbers in a year or two, I am going to be extremely happy.

Simply put, his intangibles are off the chart and very few in this league bring those types of intangibles to the game.

[Spilling Green Dye]

Whether you felt Rondo was overrated or underrated before, my belief is that it's too early in the post-big3 era to determine Rondo's value.  He's not surrounded by many offensive weapons, he's coming off of major knee surgery (and still getting stronger), and the team just went through a lot of roster changes.

I expect that we'll be able to provide a quality assessment of Rondo 25 games into next season.  Fortunately that should enable us (and other teams) to get an accurate value of Rondo prior to trade deadline, if that's the route we end up going.

[PhoSita]

All these are points great points and I've lol'd as well. "Rondo can't play without the big three" yet he still finds a way to average 11 assists per game? Give me a break people.

The narrative was that Rondo cannot carry the team on his back without the Big Three (or without someone reasonably close to their skill level). I think so far it's been fairly self-evident that assists or no assists, Rondo hasn't made much of a difference in overall team performance.

Wait.  Someone was claiming Rondo could "carry the team on his back without the Big Three (or without someone reasonably close to their skill level)."?

Is that something anybody really every argued?

I think there were people who pointed to Rondo's past playoff / big game performances and said that Rondo was capable of being the very best player on a good team.  In the NBA, being the very best player on a good team typically means that you're capable of carrying most of the weight. 

Another way of putting it is that in the NBA the ultimate value of a player might be determined by the amount of talent required to put around him in order for the team to be successful.

Rondo is still recovering from knee surgery, so I think that for the most part it is folly to draw any grand conclusions from what we've seen so far.  I think it's safe to say that Rondo's assist numbers are going to remain gaudy even with sub-standard finishers around him, as is the case now. 

Like others, I tend to feel that Rondo isn't the sort of player who can bear the onus of dragging a team to the finish line night in and night out.  I do think a team with a few players of Rondo's caliber could be quite formidable, however.

[nostar]

Overall it's about what I expected out of post-prime Rondo.  He's still very good.  One of the best PGs in the league. 

I've personally never seen a post-prime Rondo. The dude is 28 years old. Post-surgery Rondo looks about like what pre-surgery Rondo looked like except he's not finishing around the basket as well. Major knee surgery will change your quickness and he's likely still adjusting. Not sure if he's top 5 in PGs but he's definitely top 10.

What I do know is that Rondo can put up similar numbers on good teams and bad. That's more than I know about Kevin Love (who is widely regarded as a top 10 player).

[kozlodoev]

All these are points great points and I've lol'd as well. "Rondo can't play without the big three" yet he still finds a way to average 11 assists per game? Give me a break people.

The narrative was that Rondo cannot carry the team on his back without the Big Three (or without someone reasonably close to their skill level). I think so far it's been fairly self-evident that assists or no assists, Rondo hasn't made much of a difference in overall team performance.

Wait.  Someone was claiming Rondo could "carry the team on his back without the Big Three (or without someone reasonably close to their skill level)."?

Is that something anybody really every argued?

There were people who considered him as good as Chris Paul, and better than Rose, Westbrook, and other top tier PGs in the league. It's only natural that his ability to be a top dog on a reasonably good NBA franchise was implied. At least to me it was.

[nickagneta]

All these are points great points and I've lol'd as well. "Rondo can't play without the big three" yet he still finds a way to average 11 assists per game? Give me a break people.

The narrative was that Rondo cannot carry the team on his back without the Big Three (or without someone reasonably close to their skill level). I think so far it's been fairly self-evident that assists or no assists, Rondo hasn't made much of a difference in overall team performance.

Wait.  Someone was claiming Rondo could "carry the team on his back without the Big Three (or without someone reasonably close to their skill level)."?

Is that something anybody really every argued?

There were people who considered him as good as Chris Paul, and better than Rose, Westbrook, and other top tier PGs in the league. It's only natural that his ability to be a top dog on a reasonably good NBA franchise when completely healthy was implied. At least to me it was.

Fixed that for you