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[PhoSita]

Once thing I noticed watching tonight's game is that the fast break seemed more potent with guys passing directly to players who were actually a threat to run the floor and score themselves (e.g. Terry, Green, Lee) rather than giving it to Rondo to pass to somebody.

Perhaps this goes against intuition somewhat.  Rondo is often deadly in transition finding creative ways to get the ball to guys.  But I can't help wondering if sometimes Rondo overcomplicates things on the break, or makes it easier on the other team because they know he's not going to try to score with it himself.

Was this just a good night for the reserves in this area or could this be a theme going forward?

[IndeedProceed]

Rondo scores pretty well on the fast break, I think this is maybe just seeing a better team getting opportunities on a weaker team.

Not that rondo doesn't complicate a fast break sometimes, but that's about as often as someone else completely screws it up by taking it when he should've passed.

Sidenote: I was hoping entering the thread that it would be an interview with Rondo tonight on a show called 'The Fast Break'

[Galeto]

Rondo scores pretty well on the fast break, I think this is maybe just seeing a better team getting opportunities on a weaker team.

Not that rondo doesn't complicate a fast break sometimes, but that's about as often as someone else completely screws it up by taking it when he should've passed.

Sidenote: I was hoping entering the thread that it would be an interview with Rondo tonight on a show called 'The Fast Break'

Oh definitely, Rondo scores well on the break.  He's as good as scoring on the break as anyone in the league.  Unfortunately, I think he's the worst transition passer in the league.  When it comes to simply passing the ball up ahead so teammates can either attack a lone defender or start an one-two combination like happened with Barbosa and Garnett tonight on a nice alley-oop or not turning the ball over, I think Rondo's generally terrible in transition when he's not scoring himself.  It's one of the things about him that's bugged me most.  The concept of Running with Rondo drove me nuts. 

[manl_lui]

in my opinion, Rondo is great!, but I think we move the ball better without him. Sometimes I feel, Rondo passes the ball too much just to get the unnecessary assist. Like in many cases, he would have the wide open layup sometimes, but chooses to pass...

I don't hate Rondo, and I hate to see him get injured and he is our best player...

but i do see our team passing better without him.

[lightspeed5]

Rondo scores pretty well on the fast break, I think this is maybe just seeing a better team getting opportunities on a weaker team.

Not that rondo doesn't complicate a fast break sometimes, but that's about as often as someone else completely screws it up by taking it when he should've passed.

Sidenote: I was hoping entering the thread that it would be an interview with Rondo tonight on a show called 'The Fast Break'

we outscored miami in transition points as well.

[PhoSita]

Rondo scores pretty well on the fast break, I think this is maybe just seeing a better team getting opportunities on a weaker team.

Not that rondo doesn't complicate a fast break sometimes, but that's about as often as someone else completely screws it up by taking it when he should've passed.

Sidenote: I was hoping entering the thread that it would be an interview with Rondo tonight on a show called 'The Fast Break'

Haha. 

I think you're probably right that it's just that tonight was a good game against an overmatched opponent.  Rondo really does do some great things in transition sometimes.  I think the times that he messes up stick out in my memory more because most of the time he does a good job. 

I do think that sometimes the team is faster in transition without Rondo just because the outlet passer will throw it straight down to the other end instead of automatically giving it to Rondo.  One pass to the intended scorer instead of two.

[celtics2]

Not a big fan of Rondo. When the Big 3 were intact he showed well because he knew the talent would back up his weakness, shooting. It shows now because he still stalls when he should be shooting. Besides being a weak defender. I think the team will do better without him overall. His trade value now is considerably weaker.

[Celtics4ever]

Team play might be better without Rondo but he is our best player these days.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Rondo runs the fast break well.

Two things he has problems with though, giving the ball to open men for the transition 3, and making difficult passes (or dumb ones). The former is a consistent problem, though not egregious, the latter I can live with usually.

[BballTim]

  Someone posted an interview with Terry about playing without Rondo and he mentioned that the wings were going to try a little harder to get up court so they could get more transition scoring. Couple that with the Kings being especially poor at transition defense and you'd likely end up with a good transition game.

[eugen]

Once thing I noticed watching tonight's game is that the fast break seemed more potent with guys passing directly to players who were actually a threat to run the floor and score themselves (e.g. Terry, Green, Lee) rather than giving it to Rondo to pass to somebody.

Thats I mentioned somedays before. Rondo normally makes the offense slow. Is not right PG for this team

[Chris]

I am interested to see how this plays out over the next 10+ games.

Last night they were able to run because they were able to get the boards, and still leak out 1-2 players.  I am not sure they will be able to do that regularly.  I think Pierce and KG had the adrenaline flowing with Rondo out, but at some point that is going to run out, and suddenly they are going to be faced with the issue they have had all season, that if they don't bring all 5 guys back on the defensive boards, then they will be losing them. 

[Fafnir]

The fast break was essentially average for the C's last night. We average 13.4 fast break points per game, and we got 14 last night. Our efficiency in the fast break was right in line with our overall season average as well.

[Fafnir]

I am interested to see how this plays out over the next 10+ games.

Last night they were able to run because they were able to get the boards, and still leak out 1-2 players.  I am not sure they will be able to do that regularly.  I think Pierce and KG had the adrenaline flowing with Rondo out, but at some point that is going to run out, and suddenly they are going to be faced with the issue they have had all season, that if they don't bring all 5 guys back on the defensive boards, then they will be losing them.

Hopefully Pierce keeps crashing the glass hard. We'll need that given that Rondo is our best rebounding guard by a long shot.

[PhoSita]

  Someone posted an interview with Terry about playing without Rondo and he mentioned that the wings were going to try a little harder to get up court so they could get more transition scoring. Couple that with the Kings being especially poor at transition defense and you'd likely end up with a good transition game.

You're probably right that this explains most of it.

Hopefully the Celtics stay committed to getting out on the break like that.  They need to get as many easy opportunities as they can, since they're going to be a mess in the half-court.