Should we start Smart over Rondo?

[guava_wrench]

We need to set the tone early and put Smart/AB backcourt is the best way to do it
(Rondo still gambles sometimes on defense and let his opponent get past him)
we will need the defense intensity and fighting spirit
or maybe we should start Rondo, if he didn't play defense we put on Smart early

Yes please. I can see Rondo doing better off the bench vs non starters

How about we don't start anyone? Then we can have one of the deepest benches in the league!

[guava_wrench]

Just saw an interesting stat from ESPN: Rondo's 20 triple-doubles are now tied with Lebron for most triple doubles since '08-09.

So, yeah, he's clearly a guy you shouldn't start.   I know the Celtics are 1-3 but Rondo is not the problem.  It's lack of talent and a supporting cast.  He's a floor leader without the horses.

Celtics are also 1-3 with Smart getting a lot of minutes.

The team is bad.

Then again, Cleveland is 1-3. Maybe they should have Lebron, Love, and Kyrie come off the bench.

[Donoghus]

Just saw an interesting stat from ESPN: Rondo's 20 triple-doubles are now tied with Lebron for most triple doubles since '08-09.

So, yeah, he's clearly a guy you shouldn't start.   I know the Celtics are 1-3 but Rondo is not the problem.  It's lack of talent and a supporting cast.  He's a floor leader without the horses.

Celtics are also 1-3 with Smart getting a lot of minutes.

The team is bad.

Then again, Cleveland is 1-3. Maybe they should have Lebron, Love, and Kyrie come off the bench.

Oh, I agree we're not good.  Just pointing that I don't think the starting PG is the underlying issue here and should be shipped out of town on the next bus.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

Sure. Let's bench our best player for full of potential but yet still an unproven kid over him. That's going to do wonders for our team.

While we're at it, lest also start Evan Turner over Jeff Green, that way we can boast the DEEPEST bench in the league.

[Meadowlark_Scal]

Sure. Let's bench our best player for full of potential but yet still an unproven kid over him. That's going to do wonders for our team.

While we're at it, lest also start Evan Turner over Jeff Green, that way we can boast the DEEPEST bench in the league.

THAT deserves a TP..!

[Meadowlark_Scal]

C'mon, guys.  We should all know by now that rebounds and assists are empty stats only accrued by selfish ballhogs.

Give me the kind of team player who takes twenty shots a game and doesn't do anything else on the floor. 

Because, outside shooting is really all that matters in the game of basketball.  They should do away with all this 5 on 5 team nonsense and just turn the NBA into a league of H.O.R.S.E.

LOL..good one..!

[BballTim]

Just saw an interesting stat from ESPN: Rondo's 20 triple-doubles are now tied with Lebron for most triple doubles since '08-09.

Wow, and despite missing basically a full season.  Pretty impressive.

   Same amount of regular season triple doubles as LeBron in about 20% fewer games since 2009, 2 more triple doubles in the playoffs in about 40% fewer games.

[Cammycakes]

We need to set the tone early and put Smart/AB backcourt is the best way to do it
(Rondo still gambles sometimes on defense and let his opponent get past him)
we will need the defense intensity and fighting spirit
or maybe we should start Rondo, if he didn't play defense we put on Smart early

Yes please. I can see Rondo doing better off the bench vs non starters

How about we don't start anyone? Then we can have one of the deepest benches in the league!

  The snark in this thread is awesome.

[Tr1boy]

Forget about this subject for a second. For the Rondo fanatics , please answer

Vs the raps, If Rondo was so magical, why doesn't he guard Lowry and stop him? 

If he was so magical, why doesn't he score the last 3 baskets and bulldoze our way for a win?

Kind of like what Lowry did for the Raptors.

Rondo is good at taking care of his stats.  But wins are more important.  The 43 pt vs the HEat is nice to mention over and over again, but we didn't win that game.  If Rondo thinks he is one of the top pg's and top player in this league (like some fans here think), he has to know how to win. 

[vinnie]

Forget about this subject for a second. For the Rondo fanatics , please answer

Vs the raps, If Rondo was so magical, why doesn't he guard Lowry and stop him? 

If he was so magical, why doesn't he score the last 3 baskets and bulldoze our way for a win?

Kind of like what Lowry did for the Raptors.

Rondo is good at taking care of his stats.  But wins are more important.  The 43 pt vs the HEat is nice to mention over and over again, but we didn't win that game.  If Rondo thinks he is one of the top pg's and top player in this league (like some fans here think), he has to know how to win.

You hate Rondo and your posts are ridiculous. For the 20th time in this thread, the guy is nearly averaging a triple double through 4 games. Yet, you want to focus on why he wasn't guarding Kyle Lowery the other night. So I don't get it, do the players now decide who they are guarding on the court? Why bother having a coach? And you seem to think it is Rondo's fault that the team is 1-3,not the fact that this team couldn't stop 5-foot 8-inch me from driving down the lane and scoring an uncontested layup because its interior defense is pitiful. You are ridiculous and it is threads like this that have pretty much driven me away from this blog. Drivel like this has made it impossible to stay here.

[manl_lui]

Forget about this subject for a second. For the Rondo fanatics , please answer

Vs the raps, If Rondo was so magical, why doesn't he guard Lowry and stop him? 

If he was so magical, why doesn't he score the last 3 baskets and bulldoze our way for a win?

Kind of like what Lowry did for the Raptors.

Rondo is good at taking care of his stats.  But wins are more important.  The 43 pt vs the HEat is nice to mention over and over again, but we didn't win that game.  If Rondo thinks he is one of the top pg's and top player in this league (like some fans here think), he has to know how to win.

Smart is a good player and I honestly think he is a special player. BUT, as of RIGHT NOW, he should not be starting over anyone as of now. Not Rondo and not even Bradley. Speaking of the Toronto game, Lowry pick pocketed Smart at the end of the game for the Derozan slam. His offense game is not yet polished where I would even have him start over Bradley.

When he is ready, he is ready, and I'd start him over Bradley before I start him over Rondo

[Tr1boy]

Forget about this subject for a second. For the Rondo fanatics , please answer

Vs the raps, If Rondo was so magical, why doesn't he guard Lowry and stop him? 

If he was so magical, why doesn't he score the last 3 baskets and bulldoze our way for a win?

Kind of like what Lowry did for the Raptors.

Rondo is good at taking care of his stats.  But wins are more important.  The 43 pt vs the HEat is nice to mention over and over again, but we didn't win that game.  If Rondo thinks he is one of the top pg's and top player in this league (like some fans here think), he has to know how to win.

You hate Rondo and your posts are ridiculous. For the 20th time in this thread, the guy is nearly averaging a triple double through 4 games. Yet, you want to focus on why he wasn't guarding Kyle Lowery the other night. So I don't get it, do the players now decide who they are guarding on the court? Why bother having a coach? And you seem to think it is Rondo's fault that the team is 1-3,not the fact that this team couldn't stop 5-foot 8-inch me from driving down the lane and scoring an uncontested layup because its interior defense is pitiful. You are ridiculous and it is threads like this that have pretty much driven me away from this blog. Drivel like this has made it impossible to stay here.

Then dont come.

You just like others keep making excuses for rondo. All the glory that you can only feel right now is triple doubles vs actually winning games. Blame ko, sully etc for poor interior defense , when rondo alot of times loses focus on guarding his man. In addition you think the raps are more stacked than us?? They didnt even have val nor johnson and they still won

Dont blame all of this on everyone else. But also dont glorify a player for getting his stats, when in the end we lose anyways. 

Bottom line, simple as it gets. Lets win. If rondo figures out to not get some of his stats , gets others more involved by letting them be facilatators then do that. If instead of focusing to grabbing defensive rebounds (others usually get anyways) vs sticking to his man like glue, do that .Figure it out like most good players in this league can.

His stats are good for the past 2 and a half seasons now? But it doesnt equal wins. Figure it out

[mmmmm]

C'mon, guys.  We should all know by now that rebounds and assists are empty stats only accrued by selfish ballhogs.

Give me the kind of team player who takes twenty shots a game and doesn't do anything else on the floor. 

Because, outside shooting is really all that matters in the game of basketball.  They should do away with all this 5 on 5 team nonsense and just turn the NBA into a league of H.O.R.S.E.

Ahh... but you forget.  Rondo plays a pretty mean game of H.O.R.S.E. :
http://www.youtube.com/embed/eVQIjJbY2m0?feature=player_detailpage

[inverselock]

C'mon, guys.  We should all know by now that rebounds and assists are empty stats only accrued by selfish ballhogs.

Give me the kind of team player who takes twenty shots a game and doesn't do anything else on the floor. 

Because, outside shooting is really all that matters in the game of basketball.  They should do away with all this 5 on 5 team nonsense and just turn the NBA into a league of H.O.R.S.E.

Assists are achieved by player movement, picks,  screens, cuts, ball movement, dribble penetration to get good shots. 

The guy who gets the last pass gets the credit.   Aint no stats for player movement, picks,  screens, cuts, ball movement, dribble penetration.

[Eddie20]

option 2:  Rondo is traded for a starting center and we start Smart and AB.

I see this as the best route, but our trade options are limited. The one that probably fits the best would be Detroit. Something like...

Rondo
Wallace
1st rd pick 2015 (LAC)

for

Monroe
Jennings
Butler
Jerebko (expiring deal)
1st rd pick 2015
1st rd pick 2017

Rondo would likely re-sign since it's not a small market and he would be alongside Smith.

We would start Smart, allowing him to further gain experience. Monroe would immediately start alongside Sullinger providing better roster balance. His game, particularly his good passing, seems like an excellent fit in Stevens' offense and would give us a trio of good passing bigs along with Olynyk and Sullinger. Jennings value might be able to be rehabilitated like Crawford's was, which could provide a decent return as his contract would be reasonable (8M) and expiring next season. Butler's deal is not expiring either (2 years left), but at only 4.5M it's also easier to potentially trade than Wallace's would. Plus, Butler has a lot more left in the tank than the running on fumes Wallace. We dump Wallace's contract. We move up significantly in the 2015pick swap, likely from the late 20's to mid-teens, and add an extra 1st pick in 2017.

This, however, can't be accomplished until mid-December because of the restrictions of signed players.