My man-crush for Rajon Rondo is probably one of the biggest ones I have had in awhile for a player in any professional sport but c'mon his legend is growing by the game. Rondo last night went off for 18 pts 12 rbs 10 assts, as Bill "The Rock" Schroeder says on a nightly basis, "Are you kiddin' me?" Seriously, it's time to reevaluate the not only is Rondo the best point guard in the NBA, but is he in the top 10 of best right now.
I am not talking like pick a team of 5 v. 5, I am actually talking the ten best players in the league. I mean the classic "Rondo-fake" gets guys every time and no knows how to stop it. It's a lot like LeBron James who would swat the hell out of any lay-up with no one thinking 'Gee what about a pump fake?' Although who was the guy to fake out LeBron? Oh yeah, Rondo. I have trouble coming up with words to describe the rise of Rondo in these NBA Playoffs. To me, that is the story of the postseason. Not that Kobe Bryant might get his fifth title, or where LeBron is going, but a Kentucky point guard who no one believed could be an offensive threat is now taking over games like the other guys mentioned before him.
If I have a chance when I am in Milwaukee for one of my breaks, I am praying Boston is in town because I would like to see Rondo in person. I said a couple weeks ago, that he is a guy I would pay top-dollar to watch perform due to his speed, his attacking ways, and his great defense. Before the playoffs started, my roommate Dan was absolutely mesmerized by Rondo, always making comments about his quickness and agility. I liked him myself, kind of a punk but never really noticed him that much due to the Big 3 out there. Now, he is the star and they are beneath him.
Can anyone remember a team where a role player has become the star overnight for an entire playoffs? Sure, there are those special nights where a guy like Aaron Boone becomes the hero because of one swing of the bat, but the entire playoffs? I cannot come up with one really, I mean you can't use Tom Brady because he wasn't a role player more of a back up, maybe Magic Johnson in the 1980 Finals with his 47 and 15 but even then he was considered an up and coming star. No one projected this for Rondo for reasons of he couldn't shoot or make free throws on a consistent basis.
I have told people this for weeks, if Rondo learns how to make a 15 ft. jumper next season we are looking at a top five candidate off the bat for MVP next season. Hell, we might be already without the jumper. There is no doubt in my mind that Rondo could average a triple-double next season but we will have to wait to see if he can finish off the Lakers before any talk about next season.
-Charlie.
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Showing posts with label Rajon Rondo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rajon Rondo. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Beantown Back in the Finals
Everyone can be deemed guilty for not believing the Boston Celtics at the beginning of the playoffs but honestly, who ever thought this team would be representing the Eastern Conference? Everybody was all over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Hell, I don't even like the Cavs but I still believed they would win the Eastern Conference. But lying like a snake in the grass was the Boston Celtics.
One of the things that amazed me is the Celtics took two games in Miami, which is about as easy as a stripper on a Friday night. Then they did the unthinkable by beating the best home team in the entire league... twice. After Game 2 of the Eastern Semifinals, everybody took notice that the Celtics are for real and they also took two from Orlando. They aren't afraid of the road and I personally believe they feed off being the bad guy (more to come on that later) so they relish being on the road, bad news L.A. The other big thing that people took notice is there is another kid on the block with the big three.
Rajon Rondo played like the best point guard in the NBA, and to think when the playoffs started, people probably would have picked five different point guards or more before listing Rondo's name. He is super quick and even if he doesn't score, he seems to find a way to make a difference with his passing or getting inside with rebounds. The Lakers are in big trouble facing a guy like Rondo. Even though, Derek Fisher is playing pretty well right now, I cannot see him making any difference on defense and I wouldn't bet anything they would be able to keep up with Rondo in a full seven game series.
Another thing that I don't know if the Lakers can keep up is the front line of the Celtics. People will discuss about how Kevin Garnett disappeared in the Magic series but look no further than Mr. Dwight Howard. I expect a big performance out of KG and it will be interesting to see how the Lakers respond to the powerful three of these guys. I had buddies bitching about the physicality that the Celtics get away and to me, I think they want people to hate their post players for the way they play basketball. They want to be the guys with the biggest balls on the court and nobody will mess with their team. That's why you see Paul Pierce and other running their mouth because they have their bodyguards to protect him.
I couldn't believe how good they played throughout the playoffs like they just had Jay-Z on repeat.. "On to the Next One." They just kept mowing teams down and didn't miss a beat whatsoever. The only time the Celts looked somewhat shaky was the two games they dropped to the Orlando Magic. I have yet to formulate an opinion on how this series will go but I know one thing, the Celts aren't afraid of the road or L.A. Game on.
-Charlie.
One of the things that amazed me is the Celtics took two games in Miami, which is about as easy as a stripper on a Friday night. Then they did the unthinkable by beating the best home team in the entire league... twice. After Game 2 of the Eastern Semifinals, everybody took notice that the Celtics are for real and they also took two from Orlando. They aren't afraid of the road and I personally believe they feed off being the bad guy (more to come on that later) so they relish being on the road, bad news L.A. The other big thing that people took notice is there is another kid on the block with the big three.
Rajon Rondo played like the best point guard in the NBA, and to think when the playoffs started, people probably would have picked five different point guards or more before listing Rondo's name. He is super quick and even if he doesn't score, he seems to find a way to make a difference with his passing or getting inside with rebounds. The Lakers are in big trouble facing a guy like Rondo. Even though, Derek Fisher is playing pretty well right now, I cannot see him making any difference on defense and I wouldn't bet anything they would be able to keep up with Rondo in a full seven game series.
Another thing that I don't know if the Lakers can keep up is the front line of the Celtics. People will discuss about how Kevin Garnett disappeared in the Magic series but look no further than Mr. Dwight Howard. I expect a big performance out of KG and it will be interesting to see how the Lakers respond to the powerful three of these guys. I had buddies bitching about the physicality that the Celtics get away and to me, I think they want people to hate their post players for the way they play basketball. They want to be the guys with the biggest balls on the court and nobody will mess with their team. That's why you see Paul Pierce and other running their mouth because they have their bodyguards to protect him.
I couldn't believe how good they played throughout the playoffs like they just had Jay-Z on repeat.. "On to the Next One." They just kept mowing teams down and didn't miss a beat whatsoever. The only time the Celts looked somewhat shaky was the two games they dropped to the Orlando Magic. I have yet to formulate an opinion on how this series will go but I know one thing, the Celts aren't afraid of the road or L.A. Game on.
-Charlie.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Trouble in Beantown?
Sorry people who hate the city of Boston but I am writing another article about a Boston sports team although this one is about the Celtics who supposedly offered the Pistons, Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen and the Celts would get back Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, and Rodney Stuckney which the Pistons deny right away. This led people in the sports media believing that Boston has problems with Rondo. Boston’s General Manager Danny Ainge vehemently denied that the Celts were interested in dealing Rondo and this was just an Internet rumor.
I look at this “rumored” trade proposal and I wonder why the Pistons didn’t take this deal? Allen comes off the books next year giving them even more money for next year after they release eighteen million this year by getting rid of Allen Iverson. Rondo is going to be a top ten player in the next three years basically giving them a face of the Pistons franchise for the next ten years. I would assume this means that Rasheed Wallace is not coming back to the Pistons therefore General Manager Joe Dumars wanted to make sure that they had a core that could lead Detroit back to the playoffs.
I think there are some chemistry issues there because I think Rondo is a young player who probably is a bit immature and isnt ready to be the top dog in Boston although he can become one of the best players in the next decade. I think the chemistry stems from the fact that I dont believe that Rondo really enjoys getting pushed around by Kevin Garnett. I mean KG is an intense person just watching him on ESPN, I cannot even imagine what he is like as a teammate. When he went down last year, I think Rondo took over the leadership role because he plays point guard which is the quarterback of basketball. Now I am assuming that Ainge worries they will be a divide between the team.
I don’t think Boston is going to move Rondo unless they get a ‘Godfather’ offer where another superstar player is coming to Boston. I think Phoenix may be a possibility with Steve Nash whose rumored to be out in the Valley of the Sun. In addition, I doubt they keep Rondo in the Eastern Conference if they do deal him. I think Rondo will stay a Celtic because of Ray Allen’s contract really. When Allen contract runs out in 2010 that will open up the money to sign Rondo to a long-term deal and make him their face of the franchise. The only thing that would hold back the Celts signing Rondo is if we find out that Rondo was much more of a problem in the locker room with coaches and teammates. Then its inevitable to deal him.
-Charlie.
I look at this “rumored” trade proposal and I wonder why the Pistons didn’t take this deal? Allen comes off the books next year giving them even more money for next year after they release eighteen million this year by getting rid of Allen Iverson. Rondo is going to be a top ten player in the next three years basically giving them a face of the Pistons franchise for the next ten years. I would assume this means that Rasheed Wallace is not coming back to the Pistons therefore General Manager Joe Dumars wanted to make sure that they had a core that could lead Detroit back to the playoffs.
I think there are some chemistry issues there because I think Rondo is a young player who probably is a bit immature and isnt ready to be the top dog in Boston although he can become one of the best players in the next decade. I think the chemistry stems from the fact that I dont believe that Rondo really enjoys getting pushed around by Kevin Garnett. I mean KG is an intense person just watching him on ESPN, I cannot even imagine what he is like as a teammate. When he went down last year, I think Rondo took over the leadership role because he plays point guard which is the quarterback of basketball. Now I am assuming that Ainge worries they will be a divide between the team.
I don’t think Boston is going to move Rondo unless they get a ‘Godfather’ offer where another superstar player is coming to Boston. I think Phoenix may be a possibility with Steve Nash whose rumored to be out in the Valley of the Sun. In addition, I doubt they keep Rondo in the Eastern Conference if they do deal him. I think Rondo will stay a Celtic because of Ray Allen’s contract really. When Allen contract runs out in 2010 that will open up the money to sign Rondo to a long-term deal and make him their face of the franchise. The only thing that would hold back the Celts signing Rondo is if we find out that Rondo was much more of a problem in the locker room with coaches and teammates. Then its inevitable to deal him.
-Charlie.
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