A Rondo poll

[Celtics18]

again... how do you feel his play this year is worse than any other year?  statistically he's been the exact same player since 2009.  What's different?... he's not getting 43 minutes?

His numbers as far as points, rebounds, and assists are about the same, but he's been considerably less efficient both in points per shot attempt and in assists to turnover ratio. 

I'm optimistic that he can get those latter numbers back to his normal rates, and that Danny can build a team--and that Brad can coach it--that can be successful with Rondo as the point guard by next season.

And your telling me this isn't just lack of quality talent surrounding him?  Doesn't that happen when you go from veteran team, veteran coach, 3 star teammates... to 22 year old scrubs and a rookie coach?

How could you think his efficiency and assist/turnover ratio were NOT going to take a hit after the big 3 and Doc left?    I mean... it was pretty obvious it was going to happen.  How much of that really has to do with Rondo? 

If the quality of the team's talent stayed the same next season... you really think he'd magically become more efficient?

I think his lack of efficiency is due to multiple factors.  The talent level being lowered is surely one of them.  I also think that his lay off from basketball and his recovery to full health is another.  I think adjusting to Coach Stevens and a bunch of new guys is another factor.

We'll see, I guess.  You might be right, after all, that Rondo's best days are behind him.  It's still way too early for me to accept that theory as a fact, though.  He'll be twenty-eight years old next season.  If his knee is fully healed, he has a strong off-season, and Danny gets him a little more help, we might see All Star Rondo again for the 2014-2015 season.

I've been impressed with how little he's slipped.  Again... statistically, he's basically exactly the same as he's been since 2009.  Still getting his assists.  Still getting rebounds.  Still a sub-par offensive player/terrible shooter.   His assist/turnover ratio isn't dramatically different.  His overall FG% is low (41%), but that was kind of expected.  He went from sharing the court with 2-3 basketball icons drawing attention from defenders.  Now he's the main focus of defenses.  It was obviously going to drop.   

Perhaps you're right that he can get his FG% up a bit next season.   But I mean... remember how Paul Pierce shot 40% before he had Ray/KG.  Bron's wasn't as efficient until he joined with Wade/Bosh.   It's really not a surprise that Rondo is less efficient without help.   I think he's more or less the same player as he's always been.  Just different teammates.

Question is... what happens if Stevens (or his new team) ask him to adapt his game even more.  Can Rondo flourish without the ball in his hands a league-leading percentage of time?  I wouldn't bet on Rondo getting significantly better next season.   I don't see how that's possible unless 3 more hall-of-famers walk through that door.  Even then, at most he'll just see his FG% rise a little.  Everything else is maxed out already.

While he's definitely looked solid, I haven't seen the explosiveness or the burst from him that I've seen in the past.  He has (or at least used to have) another gear that he hasn't really gone into this season.

I know I can be optimistic to the point of fault, but it certainly seems plausible that the reason for the lack of that extra gear right now is his recovery from knee surgery and having a one year layoff from basketball.  If he doesn't have it next season, I think we can safely say that it's gone.  I think it's too early to make that claim with any assurance right now, though. 

[Tr1boy]

Wyc has some positive things to say about Rondo's progress so far

" I'm not worried about Rondo. He was in the building this morning working out hard and he looks great. He's killing it. He looks like the old days before the knee, so I'm happy to report that Rondo went through a hard workout and looked good to me."

[footey]

The only negative thing that I can think of is this: when rondo went down a couple of years ago, the number of total assists per game went up, paradoxically.  This suggests much greater ball movement, balanced scoring. Of course, we had a couple of savvy vets on the team to help that result.  I still want to rebuild with Rondo, but feel we have to draft guys around him to fit his style, and wonder if that is the best thing for this team.

[Celtics18]

The only negative thing that I can think of is this: when rondo went down a couple of years ago, the number of total assists per game went up, paradoxically.  This suggests much greater ball movement, balanced scoring. Of course, we had a couple of savvy vets on the team to help that result.  I still want to rebuild with Rondo, but feel we have to draft guys around him to fit his style, and wonder if that is the best thing for this team.

False.

[BballTim]

The only negative thing that I can think of is this: when rondo went down a couple of years ago, the number of total assists per game went up, paradoxically.  This suggests much greater ball movement, balanced scoring. Of course, we had a couple of savvy vets on the team to help that result.  I still want to rebuild with Rondo, but feel we have to draft guys around him to fit his style, and wonder if that is the best thing for this team.

  When Rondo went out of the lineup the assist per game may have gone up for a short while, due in large part to playing a lot of home games against bad defensive teams and opponents needing to adjust to our radically changing our offense mid-season. When he left the lineup we were 6th in the league in assists/game, when the season was over we were 12th or so. The numbers definitely went down when he was out of the lineup. Similarly, this year we were 28th in assists/game when he was out and we finished 22nd.

[BballTim]

Wyc has some positive things to say about Rondo's progress so far

" I'm not worried about Rondo. He was in the building this morning working out hard and he looks great. He's killing it. He looks like the old days before the knee, so I'm happy to report that Rondo went through a hard workout and looked good to me."

  Not really surprising. Nothing's happened since the injury that would point to problems with his recovery.

[satch]

Has more to do with style of play. Currently Rondo's style is more suited for a  team that runs isolation type offense. BS needs to change offense or Rondo needs to change his style of play. Or....trade the point guard or change the coach.

[Tr1boy]

Has more to do with style of play. Currently Rondo's style is more suited for a  team that runs isolation type offense. BS needs to change offense or Rondo needs to change his style of play. Or....trade the point guard or change the coach.

+1. 

Rondo has to adjust bc we don't have a Pierce/KG that can go 1 on 1 all day all night plus a Ray Allen that can kill you off the screens.

Also Stevens to me coaches like pop does for the Spurs.  Everything involves "team".

[BballTim]

Has more to do with style of play. Currently Rondo's style is more suited for a  team that runs isolation type offense. BS needs to change offense or Rondo needs to change his style of play. Or....trade the point guard or change the coach.

+1. 

Rondo has to adjust bc we don't have a Pierce/KG that can go 1 on 1 all day all night plus a Ray Allen that can kill you off the screens.

Also Stevens to me coaches like pop does for the Spurs.  Everything involves "team".

  PP/KG (especially KG) haven't been much for 1 on 1 for a number of years. When's the last time the majority of posters on the subject weren't critical of PP iso plays? 2009?

[KamikazeK]

I think Rondo's best is yet to come.

Get him some help!

[Eddie20]

again... how do you feel his play this year is worse than any other year?  statistically he's been the exact same player since 2009.  What's different?... he's not getting 43 minutes?

His numbers as far as points, rebounds, and assists are about the same, but he's been considerably less efficient both in points per shot attempt and in assists to turnover ratio. 

I'm optimistic that he can get those latter numbers back to his normal rates, and that Danny can build a team--and that Brad can coach it--that can be successful with Rondo as the point guard by next season.

And your telling me this isn't just lack of quality talent surrounding him?  Doesn't that happen when you go from veteran team, veteran coach, 3 star teammates... to 22 year old scrubs and a rookie coach?

How could you think his efficiency and assist/turnover ratio were NOT going to take a hit after the big 3 and Doc left?    I mean... it was pretty obvious it was going to happen.  How much of that really has to do with Rondo? 

If the quality of the team's talent stayed the same next season... you really think he'd magically become more efficient?

I think his lack of efficiency is due to multiple factors.  The talent level being lowered is surely one of them.  I also think that his lay off from basketball and his recovery to full health is another.  I think adjusting to Coach Stevens and a bunch of new guys is another factor.

We'll see, I guess.  You might be right, after all, that Rondo's best days are behind him.  It's still way too early for me to accept that theory as a fact, though.  He'll be twenty-eight years old next season.  If his knee is fully healed, he has a strong off-season, and Danny gets him a little more help, we might see All Star Rondo again for the 2014-2015 season.

I've been impressed with how little he's slipped.  Again... statistically, he's basically exactly the same as he's been since 2009.  Still getting his assists.  Still getting rebounds.  Still a sub-par offensive player/terrible shooter.   His assist/turnover ratio isn't dramatically different.  His overall FG% is low (41%), but that was kind of expected.  He went from sharing the court with 2-3 basketball icons drawing attention from defenders.  Now he's the main focus of defenses.  It was obviously going to drop.   

Perhaps you're right that he can get his FG% up a bit next season.   But I mean... remember how Paul Pierce shot 40% before he had Ray/KG.  Bron's wasn't as efficient until he joined with Wade/Bosh.   It's really not a surprise that Rondo is less efficient without help.   I think he's more or less the same player as he's always been.  Just different teammates.

Question is... what happens if Stevens (or his new team) ask him to adapt his game even more.  Can Rondo flourish without the ball in his hands a league-leading percentage of time?  I wouldn't bet on Rondo getting significantly better next season.   I don't see how that's possible unless 3 more hall-of-famers walk through that door.  Even then, at most he'll just see his FG% rise a little.  Everything else is maxed out already.

While he's definitely looked solid, I haven't seen the explosiveness or the burst from him that I've seen in the past.  He has (or at least used to have) another gear that he hasn't really gone into this season.

I don't think he has the same explosiveness he used to. And I'm not just referring to this year. In his first 4 seasons he had 53 dunks. In the last 4 seasons he's had a total of 6.

Things like this seem so long ago...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C09ZBddNa4k&feature=kp

[Celtics4ever]

I don't think he has the same explosiveness he used to. And I'm not just referring to this year. In his first 4 seasons he had 53 dunks. In the last 4 seasons he's had a total of 6.

Do you think him having ripped ligaments and the injury possibly had anything to do with this Doogie Houser M.D. ?

[Eddie20]

I don't think he has the same explosiveness he used to. And I'm not just referring to this year. In his first 4 seasons he had 53 dunks. In the last 4 seasons he's had a total of 6.

Do you think him having ripped ligaments and the injury possibly had anything to do with this Doogie Houser M.D. ?

Attention to detail

[BballTim]

again... how do you feel his play this year is worse than any other year?  statistically he's been the exact same player since 2009.  What's different?... he's not getting 43 minutes?

His numbers as far as points, rebounds, and assists are about the same, but he's been considerably less efficient both in points per shot attempt and in assists to turnover ratio. 

I'm optimistic that he can get those latter numbers back to his normal rates, and that Danny can build a team--and that Brad can coach it--that can be successful with Rondo as the point guard by next season.

And your telling me this isn't just lack of quality talent surrounding him?  Doesn't that happen when you go from veteran team, veteran coach, 3 star teammates... to 22 year old scrubs and a rookie coach?

How could you think his efficiency and assist/turnover ratio were NOT going to take a hit after the big 3 and Doc left?    I mean... it was pretty obvious it was going to happen.  How much of that really has to do with Rondo? 

If the quality of the team's talent stayed the same next season... you really think he'd magically become more efficient?

I think his lack of efficiency is due to multiple factors.  The talent level being lowered is surely one of them.  I also think that his lay off from basketball and his recovery to full health is another.  I think adjusting to Coach Stevens and a bunch of new guys is another factor.

We'll see, I guess.  You might be right, after all, that Rondo's best days are behind him.  It's still way too early for me to accept that theory as a fact, though.  He'll be twenty-eight years old next season.  If his knee is fully healed, he has a strong off-season, and Danny gets him a little more help, we might see All Star Rondo again for the 2014-2015 season.

I've been impressed with how little he's slipped.  Again... statistically, he's basically exactly the same as he's been since 2009.  Still getting his assists.  Still getting rebounds.  Still a sub-par offensive player/terrible shooter.   His assist/turnover ratio isn't dramatically different.  His overall FG% is low (41%), but that was kind of expected.  He went from sharing the court with 2-3 basketball icons drawing attention from defenders.  Now he's the main focus of defenses.  It was obviously going to drop.   

Perhaps you're right that he can get his FG% up a bit next season.   But I mean... remember how Paul Pierce shot 40% before he had Ray/KG.  Bron's wasn't as efficient until he joined with Wade/Bosh.   It's really not a surprise that Rondo is less efficient without help.   I think he's more or less the same player as he's always been.  Just different teammates.

Question is... what happens if Stevens (or his new team) ask him to adapt his game even more.  Can Rondo flourish without the ball in his hands a league-leading percentage of time?  I wouldn't bet on Rondo getting significantly better next season.   I don't see how that's possible unless 3 more hall-of-famers walk through that door.  Even then, at most he'll just see his FG% rise a little.  Everything else is maxed out already.

While he's definitely looked solid, I haven't seen the explosiveness or the burst from him that I've seen in the past.  He has (or at least used to have) another gear that he hasn't really gone into this season.

I don't think he has the same explosiveness he used to. And I'm not just referring to this year. In his first 4 seasons he had 53 dunks. In the last 4 seasons he's had a total of 6.

Things like this seem so long ago...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C09ZBddNa4k&feature=kp

   I don't think it's explosiveness on the dunks. I think he's avoiding the abuse his body took when he'd get hit by the bigs when he did that, especially when he was in the air. Not to mention, especially as Ray and PP aged, when he'd go in for a dunk and end up behind the play like that it would turn into a good transition opportunity for the other team.

[michael 26]

There is no qusetion that rondo will return to his 2012 form since he not that old and now he is a more major part of the team. A guy like Rondo can still be a major contributer without a lot of athleticism due to his great dribbling and amazing passes. I don't think Danny Ainge sould trade him because he can really be the cornerstone of a franchise.