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[ScoobyDoo]

To "Bballtim" -

The play I was talking about was with Ivan Johnson coming off a rebound and headed the other way. Based on player positions, Rondo was the first Celtic in line who could have met Ivan and stopped or slowed down the progression of the ball. Instead of hedging in front of the guy in a Basketball 101 move, Rondo chose to let him fly by and then try to slap the ball away from Ivan from behind.

Rondo could have easily turned him and forced him to give up the ball at half court, instead he played it "matador" style. This is the same thing he often does in his half court defense as well. It is not what you see Bradley and Lee doing.

The first rule in defense is stay in front of your guy if at all possible. The next is stay between your man and the ball, it's simple stuff..and it's what Bradley, Lee and KG do on a possession by possession basis. It is not what Rondo does.

I played guard - I big man coming the court is a turnover waiting to happen. It's an opportunity - you can easily stop these guys without getting hurt, that's  the advantage your speed and agility as a smaller guy gives you.

Rotations leading to easy baskets:
I don't disagree about this as a contributing factor to more easy baskets early in our season. But it does not negate the first problem of Rondo often times not staying in front of his man in the first place.

Season high in minutes:
Rondo may be playing a season high in minutes but he's also 27. Injuries are a contributing factor - understood. But even when he's healthy he has a real tendency to get "lazy' on D.

Rondo is one of my favorite players ever to wear a Celtics uniform. I also think he has all the tools he needs to go down as one of the best point guards of all time, top 10. But he won't get that distinction unless he puts as much focus into playing fundamental 101 basketball on a consistent basis on the defensive end as he does trying to make the unique unbelievable assists he does on the offensive end.

I find this aspect of Rondo's game incredibly frustrating as a fan mostly because he is probably capable of playing KG type D at the point whenever he wishes - but he doesn't wish to do it enough.   

[BballTim]

To "Bballtim" -

The play I was talking about was with Ivan Johnson coming off a rebound and headed the other way. Based on player positions, Rondo was the first Celtic in line who could have met Ivan and stopped or slowed down the progression of the ball. Instead of hedging in front of the guy in a Basketball 101 move, Rondo chose to let him fly by and then try to slap the ball away from Ivan from behind.

Rondo could have easily turned him and forced him to give up the ball at half court, instead he played it "matador" style. This is the same thing he often does in his half court defense as well. It is not what you see Bradley and Lee doing.

The first rule in defense is stay in front of your guy if at all possible. The next is stay between your man and the ball, it's simple stuff..and it's what Bradley, Lee and KG do on a possession by possession basis. It is not what Rondo does.

I played guard - I big man coming the court is a turnover waiting to happen. It's an opportunity - you can easily stop these guys without getting hurt, that's  the advantage your speed and agility as a smaller guy gives you.

Rotations leading to easy baskets:
I don't disagree about this as a contributing factor to more easy baskets early in our season. But it does not negate the first problem of Rondo often times not staying in front of his man in the first place.

Season high in minutes:
Rondo may be playing a season high in minutes but he's also 27. Injuries are a contributing factor - understood. But even when he's healthy he has a real tendency to get "lazy' on D.

Rondo is one of my favorite players ever to wear a Celtics uniform. I also think he has all the tools he needs to go down as one of the best point guards of all time, top 10. But he won't get that distinction unless he puts as much focus into playing fundamental 101 basketball on a consistent basis on the defensive end as he does trying to make the unique unbelievable assists he does on the offensive end.

I find this aspect of Rondo's game incredibly frustrating as a fan mostly because he is probably capable of playing KG type D at the point whenever he wishes - but he doesn't wish to do it enough.

  a) I don't remember the play you were referring to. I'd have to see it to comment on it.

  b) I still think that most of the time a guard tries to get past Rondo they call for a pick to do it. Sometimes they'll make a few attempts at him before calling for the pick. You could claim he doesn't fight through picks well but that's a separate discussion.

  c) The point about the minutes was that you were claiming that he didn't have to worry about tiring out because of all of our guards. My point is that, in spite of those other players he's playing a career high for minutes so they aren't exactly getting him more rest.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

We will miss a lot by not having Rondo on the floor. But one area I think we gain big time is with the perimeter D that Bradley and Lee play;

1. They take no plays off on D
2. Bradley can bully point guards rather than get banged up by bigger twos every game.
3. Lee is a better fit defensively for most twos and though a bit smallish, he's generally quicker than them.

I love Rondo but one of the biggest things that bothered me about his game is that he often times played disinterested, matador D and his man waltzed by him a lot, with generally very negative consequences for our overall team D.

I'm interested to see if Bradley and Lee can sustain the effort and if they can get some real rhythm together defensively. If they can it could go a long way towards us becoming a lock down team defensively again.

Now, if we only had a young 7 foot center to play along side of KG as the second line of defense after bradley and Lee's harassing perimeter D. 

It would be great if Melo were ready...   

wait, you mean rondo takes plays off? Who would have thunk that? 

[ScoobyDoo]

BBall, yeah, wish I could upload it as an example, would be easier to explain.

Fair enough re the picks and I do agree / think that he's not nearly as aggressive or good at fighting through picks as, for example, Bradley is. maybe it's a matter of tenacity / will or it could be just not a strength for Rondo. But my gut tells me Rondo could do almost anything he wants to do on a court from an athletic standpoint.

Point taken on the minutes issue. I'd place that on Doc then, because, whether we're winning or losing, I think the coach should find the way to get his best players enough rest.

But again, don't get me wrong, I love Rondo's game in general. I would use him much differently than Doc does, particularly in the half court.

On D, I just think he's reaching about 60/70 % of his potential on a night to night basis - I think he is capable of KG level D at the point position.

On a separate issue - I think a problem for Rondo since he's been here is that Ainge has yet to find him a legit back up point on a year to year basis.

I think that's been a real mistake. And outside of Posey and now Green the same can be said for Pierce. Another mistake.

When you're lucky enough to get players like KG, Pierce and Rondo - I would think Job A,B & C would be to first get long term, viable back ups for them, not patchwork it. Then build the rest of the team from there...

I think Rondo's suffered because of that, having to play through injuries more often than he maybe should have.       

[ScoobyDoo]

I also have to say that I have seen Rondo play killer D, through picks and in general, but only in spurts during a game or spurts of games period.

KG does it every night, Bradley every night. If Rondo did it every night, he goes to all world in book, best point in the game.

[BballTim]

Fair enough re the picks and I do agree / think that he's not nearly as aggressive or good at fighting through picks as, for example, Bradley is. maybe it's a matter of tenacity / will or it could be just not a strength for Rondo. But my gut tells me Rondo could do almost anything he wants to do on a court from an athletic standpoint.

  While Rondo could probably put more of an effort in getting through picks I think it has limited value because the guy he's guarding is headed straight to the rim and Rondo would have to catch them from behind.

Point taken on the minutes issue. I'd place that on Doc then, because, whether we're winning or losing, I think the coach should find the way to get his best players enough rest.   

  I don't understand this either. I'd point to the game in Sacramento where Rondo missed the previous game with a hip injury. He was moving around pretty badly when I was watching and the Kings won handily. Rondo led the team in minutes that game, probably not a good idea.