Look at this Boston team right now - who really has the greatest impact on the game both on the court and off?
The answer is Kevin Garnett. Last season he not only had the highest +/- on the team (and it wasn't even close) but also one of the highest in the league. His on-court presence impacts the team more than any other player.
If you look at the stat sheet you might THINK that Rondo has a greater impact becuase of the sheer numbers he records, but KG impacts the game by doing all the things you don't see on the stat sheet.
KG is one of the best in the league at setting screens, his ultra-reliable jump shot (he shot 46% from midrange last season) forces opposing bigs out of the pain, he's one of the best passing bigs in the league, he never gives up on a loose ball, he blocks and affects shots, he's great at defending the pick and roll and he's the heart and soul of Boston's league leading defense.
Rondo is not far behind in terms of his impact, but I honestly believe that losing KG for a game hurts us more then losing Rondo for a game.
RThe look at Pierce - he may not do quite as much as Rondo and Pierce on a nightly basis, but when the game is on the line there is NOBODY on this team who wants the ball more then Pierce. He is one of the greatest clutch performers of the last two decades and his clutch play is the thing that gets us through so many of those tight "bar fight" games simply becuase he hits big shots at big times.
Rondo is an exceptional player and an exceptional leader - you could very well argue that he's right up there with those two guys in terms of his impact on the game and his ability to lead and take over a game...but you definately can't say he's ABOVE those two guys.
To me every one of those three guys ins critical and instrumental to the success of this Boston team. Those three guys combine to form the very heart of this Boston team - take any one of them away, and we are half the team we are. Those guys all lead by example with their resilience, their toughness, their maturity and their "never say die" mentality.
I completely respect what Rondo has said here, because I believe he knows all of the above as well as anyone does. He knows [dang] well that hes a critical part of this team, but he also respects and acknowledges that he's merely a part of the body that makes this team live and breath. Rondo is the brain that makes the decisions, KG is the heart that pumps life through the team, and Pierce is the muscle that does the heavy lifting.