But, as I've said before - Dirk is DALLAS. He can do no wrong.
Dirk is 36 YEARS OLD. For most players, even great ones, that age means you left the end of your prime about at least 2 years ago.
Rondo is 29 YEARS OLD. He should be smack dab in his prime and very close to his peak at a player.
It is ENTIRELY NORMAL AND APPROPRIATE for Dirk to be cut some slack at this point in his career. It is ENTIRELY NORMAL AND APPROPRIATE to not cut Rondo that same slack at this point in his career.
This is not rocket science.
Mike
It's never rocket science.
But if Dirk was never known to be a defensive guru, what else would he have to offer DAL if his J started going south?
KG is still in the league (and STARTING in Minny AND was doing the same in BKN before he was bought out) because of his defense. He already announced that next year will be his last.
When will Dirk's?
Not sure you realize how silly you sound in comparing Dirk and Rondo. Dirk is a surefire HOF, who was a finals MVP, and carried the Mavs passed the favored Heat. Rondo at this point is NOT a HOF player and won his lone title by riding the coattails of the Big 3.
Your head is buried so far in the sand that I question if you've seen any basketball other than games Rondo has played. I mean you did say that if Rondo, regardless of team he's playing for, plays the Cs you would root for the Rondo team to win. Yeah, that's objective.
Regardless of what YOU say Rondo is (or not), or what Dirk is (or not) - I stand by my words.
And as I've stated before - I have seen AND played a LOT of basketball. Played all the time up until 2010 when I tore my Achilles playing with my oldest son....he went off to play against the friends his age, and I played against the young men. Was playing well against the young'uns, too - well enough to get a mini-Tim Duncan comparison from one of them.
I found that comment funny, because I've always looked at myself as a poor man's Dikembe.

- great defender, but not a good point producer by any means.
But I played, fit my ROLE well, and enjoyed Basketball. Basketball is a TEAM sport. I Will be playing again one day.
Dirk is a great player, and a surefire HOFer, as you say. But he is also (and always has been) a finesse player, and, at best - an adequate defender (if you count his 1.5 blocks he averaged for a couple of years.)
To me, he's a classic Euro-player. But celebrated as being a 7ft Larry Bird (minus Larry's mythic playmaking abilities AND Larry's defense while in his prime).
But - as many of you have taught me here on CelticsBlog - BLOCKS aren't the mark of a good defender.
And your sig is cute. I stood my ground, no matter how much you (and others here) think otherwise. I'm so glad I've meant THAT much to you, seriously.
I don't know if you realize it or not, but you guys compared me to Dr. Phil recently, AND BBallTim - two people I hold in great regard.
I will be sticking around, though - and maybe one day we can dig ourselves OUT of the hole BOTH of our heads are in, LOL.