Author Topic: Exactly how important was Rondo to the 08 Title team?  (Read 2737 times)

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Exactly how important was Rondo to the 08 Title team?
« on: February 15, 2018, 09:39:28 AM »

Offline perks-a-beast

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My buddy and I got in an argument the other day about this. He insists the Celtics wouldn't have made it to the ECF without Rajon. Don't get me wrong, Rondo blossomed into a terrific player (when he chose to play defense) but I don't remember young Rondo making a significant impact that year. Personally, I think that team had so much talent they would have won with a semi conscious Sebastian Telfair at point guard. Am I off base here?

Re: Exactly how important was Rondo to the 08 Title team?
« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2018, 09:41:36 AM »

Offline Roy H.

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For the 2008 team, I’d probably put him at 6th most important, particularly in the Finals.

Big Three + Posey + Perk were more important that year.


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Re: Exactly how important was Rondo to the 08 Title team?
« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2018, 09:42:21 AM »

Offline Monkhouse

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Besides the Big 3, I think Perkins/Posey were the most important role players who dedicated themselves to defense and solidifed our identity along with KG.
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Re: Exactly how important was Rondo to the 08 Title team?
« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2018, 09:47:47 AM »

Offline droopdog7

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He was the starting PG and I bet if you look at his stats, he was already close to peak Romdo.  I’d say he was definitely important.  Who was the back up anyway?

Re: Exactly how important was Rondo to the 08 Title team?
« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2018, 09:47:52 AM »

Offline Donoghus

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Not very. 


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Re: Exactly how important was Rondo to the 08 Title team?
« Reply #5 on: February 15, 2018, 10:39:45 AM »

Offline chiken Green

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An Ego big enough to manage 3 Hall of famers... Nah not important at all..  Of course, We don't win it without him but other than that. Not a big part.


Re: Exactly how important was Rondo to the 08 Title team?
« Reply #6 on: February 15, 2018, 10:43:29 AM »

Offline apc

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He was good fit and important . But also probably fairly easy replaceable.

Re: Exactly how important was Rondo to the 08 Title team?
« Reply #7 on: February 15, 2018, 10:44:12 AM »

Offline Roy H.

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An Ego big enough to manage 3 Hall of famers... Nah not important at all..  Of course, We don't win it without him but other than that. Not a big part.

Rondo wasn’t really the manager of that team. The title team shared the ball a lot more, rather than relying on Rondo as a floor general.


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Re: Exactly how important was Rondo to the 08 Title team?
« Reply #8 on: February 15, 2018, 10:47:54 AM »

Offline bdm860

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If the C's had Telfair instead of Rondo, I think we would have seen Cassell take a much larger role once he joined the team.

And man was the league wide PG situation different back then or what?  Instead of seemingly every playoff team having an MVP caliber point guard, the C's faced Bibby, Delonte West, Billups, and Fisher.  With 31 year old Billups being the only All-Star, but not a guy who could single handedly beat you.  Then if the East seeding shifted a little, the other PGs to worry about are Jameer Nelson, Jose Calderon/TJ Ford, Andre Miller, or an injured Gilbert Arenas/Antonio Daniels.  I don't think the drop in defense the C's would get from 38 year old Cassell would be that big of a problem with the PG position being as weak as it was.

So ya, the C's probably could have still won it all.

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Re: Exactly how important was Rondo to the 08 Title team?
« Reply #9 on: February 15, 2018, 11:07:18 AM »

Offline TA9

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He was the starting PG and I bet if you look at his stats, he was already close to peak Romdo.  I’d say he was definitely important.  Who was the back up anyway?
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Re: Exactly how important was Rondo to the 08 Title team?
« Reply #10 on: February 15, 2018, 11:15:39 AM »

Offline PhoSita

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I'd say he was the fifth or sixth most important player on the team. 

He had the 4th most Win Shares on the team, but I would say in the playoffs both Posey and Perk were more important given matchups.
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Re: Exactly how important was Rondo to the 08 Title team?
« Reply #11 on: February 15, 2018, 02:07:54 PM »

Offline Jamilmac99

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He was very important although not at top Rondo powers where he basically became the best PG in the league for a 3-4 year run. Check the 2008-2009 game logs for the true Rondo explosion.

Re: Exactly how important was Rondo to the 08 Title team?
« Reply #12 on: February 15, 2018, 02:18:49 PM »

Offline Ilikesports17

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An Ego big enough to manage 3 Hall of famers... Nah not important at all..  Of course, We don't win it without him but other than that. Not a big part.

Rondo wasn’t really the manager of that team. The title team shared the ball a lot more, rather than relying on Rondo as a floor general.
I think that sells Rondo short a little bit. That said his primary value was probably as a defender that year.
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Re: Exactly how important was Rondo to the 08 Title team?
« Reply #13 on: February 15, 2018, 02:27:13 PM »

Offline Roy H.

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An Ego big enough to manage 3 Hall of famers... Nah not important at all..  Of course, We don't win it without him but other than that. Not a big part.

Rondo wasn’t really the manager of that team. The title team shared the ball a lot more, rather than relying on Rondo as a floor general.
I think that sells Rondo short a little bit. That said his primary value was probably as a defender that year.

I don’t think it does at all.

Rondo: 5.1 assists, 18.9 Usg%
Pierce: 4.5 assists, 24.8 Usg%
KG: 3.4 assists, 25.5 Usg%
Ray: 3.1 assists, 21.6 Usg%

The team fairly evenly distributed the ball. In later years, as Rondo became more ball-dominant, the offense got worse.


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Re: Exactly how important was Rondo to the 08 Title team?
« Reply #14 on: February 15, 2018, 08:23:09 PM »

Offline aefgogreen

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He wasn't the full blown playmaker that he eventually became.  I think he was more of a manager that found a way to facilitate the big three and maintain chemistry.  And even in his second season, he was the best point guard we had since DJ.  We'll never know, but I think if we had won the whole thing in 2010, he would have beat out Pierce for Finals MVP - two rings and he may have gotten his number raised...In any case, I think he was the fourth most important player that year.