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[chenaren]

I believe Rondo is a four-time NBA all-defensive team member. However, every time I watch the game this season, I feel Rondo's defense is nothing outstanding. Actually, I think it looks quite bad sometimes. Too lazy to keep up with his man, and too much gambling on stealing. What happened to Rondo? Can he find back his defense?

[lightspeed5]

this is an iffy topic. Sometimes he looks good out there. I think mostly he is saving his energy for rebounding, offense, and playoffs.

[European NBA fan]

I believe Rondo is a four-time NBA all-defensive team member. However, every time I watch the game this season, I feel Rondo's defense is nothing outstanding. Actually, I think it looks quite bad sometimes. Too lazy to keep up with his man, and too much gambling on stealing. What happened to Rondo? Can he find back his defense?

It's almost the same as it has always been. He lets his man inside, if he can make the opponent take a low percentage shot or even better create a turnover. This defensive scheme has been used by the Celtics for years. The problem is that we now play Bass, Sullinger or Wilcox in stead of Perkins or the O'Neals (or even Stiemsma), who are all pretty good rim protectors. And perhaps our opponents have read the book by now, and make their point guards pass to the open three point shooter in the corner in stead of going straight up against a big man. Either way, this is one of the reasons why we need a defensive minded big, who can play next to KG.

I'm not sure if Doc has changed the defense a bir, but it seems to me like Rondo actually stays in front of his man more of the time this season.

This is not to say, that Rondo doesn't have games where he saves his energy for the offense, rather than actually reading the opposing offense and play the best defense. He probably does.

[lightspeed5]

^very good point. we used to have enforcers that allowed rondo to risk take. he is simply following the old system hoping our help defense in the interior takes form.

[bfrombleacher]

I believe Rondo is a four-time NBA all-defensive team member. However, every time I watch the game this season, I feel Rondo's defense is nothing outstanding. Actually, I think it looks quite bad sometimes. Too lazy to keep up with his man, and too much gambling on stealing. What happened to Rondo? Can he find back his defense?

It's almost the same as it has always been. He lets his man inside, if he can make the opponent take a low percentage shot or even better create a turnover. This defensive scheme has been used by the Celtics for years. The problem is that we now play Bass, Sullinger or Wilcox in stead of Perkins or the O'Neals (or even Stiemsma), who are all pretty good rim protectors. And perhaps our opponents have read the book by now, and make their point guards pass to the open three point shooter in the corner in stead of going straight up against a big man. Either way, this is one of the reasons why we need a defensive minded big, who can play next to KG.

I'm not sure if Doc has changed the defense a bir, but it seems to me like Rondo actually stays in front of his man more of the time this season.

This is not to say, that Rondo doesn't have games where he saves his energy for the offense, rather than actually reading the opposing offense and play the best defense. He probably does.

Nice. Said what's on my mind *but was never quite able to express*

[BudweiserCeltic]

Never liked Rondo's defense, so no surprise here.

[dark_lord]

rondo is good on D when he exerts himself.  i have always thought he was over rated defensively.

[scaryjerry]

can we stop with these? rondo has good defensive qualities but has never been a lockdown defender and never will be. Avery Bradley helps this.

[Meadowlark_Scal]

Rondo either doesn't know or doesn't care.....he probably hasn't had to play D in his previous career......so just poking the ball out seens "good enough" to him. So, it falls on DOC to get him to see...run the film, show him how his letting the premier point guard of the other team fly past him...ruins our whole team D, the rest of the guys eother have to go to the driver, or let him layup....both losses..and for all rondos speed and agility, he CAN stay in front of his man.....this is on both doc and rondo......when a player is doing or not doing something that hurts the team..the COACH is supposed to fix it...!!!

[OmarSekou]

Rondo's gotta step up his D. He does a lot of good things that don't get mentioned enough (and are the reason he's always voted as a top defender), but we can't win with him getting beat off the dribble constantly.

When Bradley comes back and he can switch to defend the 2, I think things will get better. It looks like Rondo's issue on D is effort. On one hand I think he's gotta step it up, but on the other it's hard to kill him effort when he's logging crazy minutes and an extreme workload.

[ssspence]

he's disinterested in defense, so he has lapses -- lots of them.

[SHAQATTACK]

I know Rondo makes some highlite plays , but his bad mental effort , turnovers , ect is hurting the Celtics for strechs as much as he helps. He is playing TOO many minutes.

I blame Doc for playing Rondo to much.  When Rondo starts that stand around dribbling looking for an assist , lookout here comes a turnover. something bad usually happens. I'm guessing he is tried. So Doc needs to MONITOR Rondo's energy better / mind set and insert Barbosa to give Rondo a break.  ROndo seems to just BLANK OUT at somepoints in the game , either he is tired or just disinterested.

If Bradley play close to where he was last year , this could really EXPOSE the sloppy defense and play of Rondo.

Lee is playing so poor overall , that ROndo is being called on to play to much IMO.

[Who]

Rondo is playing too many minutes. His defense would improve his minutes went down.

[BballTim]

Rondo's gotta step up his D. He does a lot of good things that don't get mentioned enough (and are the reason he's always voted as a top defender), but we can't win with him getting beat off the dribble constantly.

When Bradley comes back and he can switch to defend the 2, I think things will get better. It looks like Rondo's issue on D is effort. On one hand I think he's gotta step it up, but on the other it's hard to kill him effort when he's logging crazy minutes and an extreme workload.

  While I agree that Rondo steps up his defense in the playoffs, he doesn't constantly get beat off the dribble. Opponents use picks to get past him most of the time.

[OmarSekou]

Rondo's gotta step up his D. He does a lot of good things that don't get mentioned enough (and are the reason he's always voted as a top defender), but we can't win with him getting beat off the dribble constantly.

When Bradley comes back and he can switch to defend the 2, I think things will get better. It looks like Rondo's issue on D is effort. On one hand I think he's gotta step it up, but on the other it's hard to kill him effort when he's logging crazy minutes and an extreme workload.

  While I agree that Rondo steps up his defense in the playoffs, he doesn't constantly get beat off the dribble. Opponents use picks to get past him most of the time.

Fair enough. He doesn't fight through picks at a consistent enough level and occasionally gets beat off the dribble. Basically, there are times he can do more to keep his body between his man in the basket.