Can Rajon Rondo Thrive in Leadership Role for Boston Celtics?

 Boston  No Responses »
Dec 052012
 

When the Boston Celtics selected Rajon Rondo with the 21st pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, very few expected him to emerge as the star of the class. Even less expected Rondo to emerge as the floor general for one of the most decorated franchises in NBA history.

The question is, can Rondo actually thrive in a leadership role for the Celtics? Or is he meant to take on a secondary role?

Rondo may not be the most popular player in the league, but he’s certainly one of the most productive. Contrary to popular belief, he’s also one of the most dedicated, with a work ethic that deserves the admiration of millions.

Even if that respect only comes from a local community.

Rondo’s more polarizing side was on full display during an interview with reporters after his first practice back from a two-game suspension. An interview in which Rondo stated he did not learn a thing from his suspension.

This comes per the Sulia page of Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe.

“I wanted to be out there with my teammates but obviously a 2-game suspension, like I said I was glued in front of the TV,” said Rondo, who told reporters he went to Mexico during the break. “Hopefully I don’t feel too winded tomorrow. I think I’ve been off for about a week now. We’ll see tomorrow.” 

When asked if he learned any lessons during his third suspension in nine months, he said: “No.” 

“It was difficult,” he said, “I love being around the guys. I love coming into practice and being around them on the team plane, but I had to miss that for a couple of days but other than that everything is back to normal.”

Whether you have an issue with his not learning a lesson or taking a trip to Mexico, there are more than enough reasons to be upset with Rondo’s antics. There is also reason to enjoy the chip on his shoulder.

Regardless of which stance you take, there is an undeniable truth about Rondo. He is the greatest facilitator of his young generation, which was on full display during his streak of 37 consecutive games with at least 10 assists.

A streak which ranks second all-time. A streak which only ended because Rondo was ejected during the second quarter of a game with the Brooklyn Nets.

One can only imagine that Rondo would continue to pursue Magic Johnson’s record of 46 consecutive games with at least 10 dimes.

Although that numbers offers insight as to how Rondo contributes, it is not entirely indicative of why he’s such a great leader. For that, allow the following pieces of information to enter your mind.

Let’s start with the intangibles.

 

Unparalleled Dedication

Entering the 2012-13 NBA season, the No. 1 complaint surrounding Rajon Rondo’s game was his inconsistent jump shooting. In response to those concerns, Rondo has come out firing by connecting on 49 percent of his mid-range jump shots through 14 games.

He’s also shooting a career-best 31.6 percent from beyond the arc. So how’s that for a work ethic?

Rondo’s effort on the floor goes well beyond statistics and percentages. The resounding image of his dedication to the game came during Game 3 of the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals.

A game in which Rondo dislocated his elbow, marched back on to the floor and led the charge to a 97-81 victory. If that’s not an example of leadership, what is?

Rondo may not be the most personable player to the media or referees, but he is the type to command respect in the locker room. Everyone from Kevin Garnett to Paul Pierce has expressed a belief in Rondo’s ability to fill said role.

Which brings us to our next point.

 

Trust of the Veterans

When an individual is referred to as the leader of an NBA franchise, we often forget about one important fact. It’s not about statistical performance, but rather the trust of the players around them.

Considering Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett are just two of the players to recognize Rondo as the top dog, it’s safe to say he has the trust of his teammates.

After Game 4 of the 2010 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, Rondo claimed that the Celtics “still go through the Big Three” (via ESPN). Keep in mind, Rondo finished Game 4 with 29 points, 18 rebounds and 13 assists.

The third player in NBA history to achieve such a feat, joining 7’1″ Wilt Chamberlain and 6’5″ Oscar Robertson. Keep in mind, Rondo is just a 6’1″ point guard.

Not like his 6’8″ opponent that evening, LeBron James.

This marked the beginning of the Rondo era in Boston. The do-it-all point guard became the leader of the Celtics.

According to Jackie MacMullan of ESPN Boston, Paul Pierce offers insight and a vote of confidence.

“Two years ago I think they wanted him to be one thing,” Paul Pierce said. “But he was still learning. They were saying, ‘It’s Rondo’s team,’ but he wasn’t to the point where he was that constant presence.

“They put him in a role he wasn’t ready for yet.”

“He took so many huge strides last year, he had to be the leader,” Pierce said. “KG and I aren’t going to be here much longer, so it’s time for him to have a real voice, especially with Ray [Allen] gone.”

Garnett chimed in with a simple, ”It was Rajon’s show.”

During Rondo’s two-game suspension, young veteran Jeff Green confirmed that notion. According to a report via USA Today, Green had this to say about Rondo’s absence.

“[Rajon Rondo's] our leader, so it’s tough when he’s not here,” Green said. “So everybody as a group has to pull together as a team and try and take his place.”

Enough said.

 

Better With Rondo Than Without

To counter this point, many will cite the fact that the Boston Celtics are 18-11 when Rondo is not in the lineup since 2010. To that, I will cite a series of numbers which express his true value.

When Rondo is on the floor, the Celtics are averaging 25.5 assists, 13.3 turnovers and 98.6 points per 48 minutes. When the former Kentucky Wildcat is on the bench, however, those numbers drop to 19.5 assists, 16.5 turnovers and 92.4 points per 48.

In other words, the Celtics are better with Rondo than without him. Much better.

As for his stone-faced, angry and intense demeanor during and after games, why are we complaining? That sounds quite similar to a previous Celtics legend.

Larry Bird.

Rondo may not be your first choice to star in a commercial, but he will lead your team to offensive brilliance and victories. Such has been on full display with the Boston Celtics for over half a decade.

Rondo is coming off of a season in which he led the league in assists and triple-doubles. As previously noted, this comes as Rondo stands undersized for a point guard at 6’1″ and 186 pounds.

Rondo fights with every muscle and bone in his body. He’s the greatest facilitator of his time, a versatile defender, a dominant force on the glass and one of the most dynamic postseason performers in NBA history.

If that doesn’t make a great leader, what will?

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Boston Celtics Must Use 3-Point Shot to Find Successful Offensive Attack

 Boston  No Responses »
Nov 302012
 

In their second-ever meeting—and second-ever loss—against the Brooklyn Nets, the Boston Celtics made just one three-pointer.

The shot concluded one of the more discombobulated sequences you’ll ever see a professional basketball team go through, with Jason Terry catching a desperate save attempt by Jared Sullinger at the right elbow, then spinning away from a defender, dribbling out with his back facing the basket, planting both feet behind the arc, and launching a shot with 20 seconds left on the shot clock in a 13-point game with over 10 minutes to play. 

To repeat: that was Boston’s only three-pointer. In today’s league, the shot is less of a gamble than it is a necessary risk, and it’s no coincidence that some of the league’s best teams take (and make) a ton of them every night. 

By now, everyone knows the Celtics are in love with the mid-range jumper, a supposed lost art that in recent years has assumed a more accurate label as basketball’s least valuable scoring option. For the most part, Boston makes it work because they’re loaded with guys who can regularly knock it down (Kevin Garnett, Brandon Bass, Paul Pierce, Jason Terry, Rajon Rondo).

Right now they’re taking the fourth-most shots between 16 and 23 feet in the league while remaining the second-most accurate, per Hoopdata.com. The shot is useful and fits well with their personnel and within their system, but it’s no three-pointer. 

The Celtics are attempting just 13.8 threes per game through the season’s first month, just ahead of the Chicago Bulls for second fewest in the league. In the last 11 years only five teams have averaged 14 or fewer three-point attempts per game and won at least 55 games (the 2010-11 Boston Celtics are one of them). Even more startling, only 33 teams finished with an even record or better. 

Boston is shooting 33.9 percent on corner threes off only 63 attempts. The percentage is 26th in the league, and the attempts rank in the bottom third (behind the layup/dunk, a three-pointer from the corner is widely considered to be the best shot in basketball).

On above-the-break threes, they’ve attempted the third fewest in the league (ahead of Chicago and the Memphis Grizzlies), but rank fifth in percentage at 39 percent. 

The lack of three-pointers isn’t necessarily a new development for Boston—last year they averaged 15 per game and in 2011 it was 13.6—but five years ago, when they won the NBA championship, they jacked 19.8 threes a night. And in 2010, the last season they appeared in the Finals, they took 17.5. 

Just like they have players who can knock down a mid-range jump shot, the Celtics boast more than a few guys who’ve mastered the three-pointer: Jason Terry is a career 38 percent sniper, Paul Pierce is connecting 41.2 percent on all long balls this season and Courtney Lee made nearly half of the 103 corner threes he attempted with the Rockets last year (absurdly accurate). The key is putting these players in positions behind the line where they can easily succeed. 

So why don’t the Celtics shoot more three-pointers? The explanation is a simple one: they struggle to create open looks.

Doc Rivers may be one of the three or four premier play designers in the league, but there’s only so much a man can do with the personnel he has, and right now the Celtics only have two or three players capable of penetrating past an opponent’s first line of defense: Rondo, Leandro Barbosa and Pierce—on a good night. That’s about it, and not having any more options here has been a huge problem. 

Here’s a clip that shows Pierce blowing by Kevin Durant and setting up Courtney Lee for an open shot. At 35 years old, it’s an incredibly difficult play for him to make multiple times a game, especially because creating for others was never a strength for Pierce to begin with. 

The Celtics also don’t grab offensive rebounds. Defenses in the NBA have one objective: to stop an initial shot and then grab the rebound. Mayhem occurs when they fail to do so, and guys who are lingering on the perimeter more often than not find themselves wide open for kick outs.

This year a good chunk of Boston’s shots from behind the arc have either come in transition or off a secondary fast break; quick, open attempts taken early in the shot clock with the defense caught off guard or out of position. 

The primary distributor in these situations is Rondo (obviously), who creates tons of advantageous action with his ability to find open trailers and guys filling their respective lanes. 

But transition threes are dependent on good defense, forcing turnovers and preventing an opponent from scoring. In order to create a more consistent alternative, a burden is placed on Rivers and his coaching staff to get guys like Terry, Pierce and Lee three-point shots in a more controlled environment. 

Here’s an example: a quick wrinkle off a Rondo/Kevin Garnett pick-and-roll. The action is specifically designed to get Terry a good three-point look. He gets it here because instead of rolling to the basket and looking for a lob, Garnett is specifically down there to set a screen on Terry’s man.  

Another example shows a side out of bounds play designed to eventually get Courtney Lee a wide open three against Utah‘s zone defense. The ball is quickly swung around the perimeter before getting back to Barbosa at the top of the key. Once this happens, Chris Wilcox dives through the lane with his hands up, drawing Derrick Favors into the paint and keeping him a good 10 feet away from Lee, who’s barely moved since inbounding the ball. 

It’s early in the season, but so far several Celtics aren’t hitting a good number on their threes. Jeff Green is at a useless 25 percent, and Lee, arguably the most disappointing offseason acquisition (Andrew Bynum aside) in the league, has made only five three-pointers and six free throws in 345 minutes. Both will get better, and the return of Avery Bradley (who shot 55.6 percent on corner threes last season) should help as we get into winter. 

But the importance of the three ball can’t be ignored; it’s a vital part of the game, and those who don’t take advantage are more likely than not to be left in the dust. If they want their season to end with an 18th title, the Boston Celtics need to utilize the three-point shot more than they’re currently doing. 

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Boston Celtics: Why Rebounding Must Improve If C’s Are to Contend for Anything

 Boston  No Responses »
Nov 302012
 

The Boston Celtics, founded upon the concept of team defense, stand no chance of winning anything without improving its rebounding. 

If you’ve had the chance to tune into any of the C’s first 15 games, you will not be surprised to hear that they currently rank last in the NBA in team rebounding. Averaging 37.1 boards per game will not get it done against top-tier opponents. 

The most obvious cause of the Celtics’ rebounding woes has to be the fact that they don’t have a true center. With all due respect to Kevin Garnett—he accepted and adapted to his new role as well as anyone could—Boston needs someone larger than 6’11″ to bang around under the basket.

Until then, the Celtics can make immediate improvements by ensuring that athletic guards and forwards like Courtney Lee and Jeff Green are focused on crashing the glass when shots go up. 

Interestingly enough, the team’s defensive rebounding percentage—.739—suggests that the Celtics do a fairly good job of protecting on the defensive end. However, the C’s are miserable on the offensive glass, leaving themselves minimal margin for error. 

Below are a few major reasons the Celtics need to establish a better rebounding game, and fast. 

 

Team Identity

For anyone who makes the argument that the mix of new pieces is keeping the Celtics from displaying chemistry, listen up. Boston, regardless of the players that comprise the roster, needs to be a team centered around defense. 

The Celtics do not have a scorer like Kevin Durant or LeBron James that can take over games. Neither did the title-winning team in 2008, although Paul Pierce had a bit more pep in his step. 

In any case, this team is not going to be the type to outscore its foes in a shootout. Time for Coach Rivers to drill it into his players’ heads: getting the other team out of rhythm will be the best way to win games. 

The most important way to keep this defense fresh will be to limit opposing opportunities. In other words, if Kevin Durant or LeBron James misses, the Celtics need to collect the rebound after the first attempt. 

After securing the ball on defense, Boston will be in better position to dictate the pace and flow of the game. 

 

Pace and Flow

Transition offense is the name of Rajon Rondo’s game. And Rondo at this point is the engine of the Celtics offense. Think about what happens after the Celtics secure a rebound on the defensive end.

First and foremost, Rondo or another fast-moving guard receives the ball on an outlet pass. Athletic—albeit undersized—forwards run the floor well, leaving the point men with plenty of good first-look opportunities. 

Although the key cogs are noticeably older now than during the championship run, the best way to get them into the scoring flow is to make them feel comfortable and to play at their pace. This starts with cleaning up rebounds after an opponent miss. 

 

Second Chances

Let’s face it, this team is not an offensive juggernaut. They are not impervious to good team defense and have lacked a go-to man other than Paul Pierce. 

One way for the Celtics to add a few more points each game is to provide themselves with second opportunities to score. Guys like Jared Sullinger, Brandon Bass, Jeff Green and Chris Wilcox should up their attention to fighting for offensive boards. 

Its hard to argue for the Celtics to focus on offensive rebounding when the most important job comes on the defensive end. However, this team could use a bit of a comfort zone to operate inside of, and second-chance hoops are a good way to create that gap. 

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Rondo Meltdown Reaffirms Why Celtics Should Trade Its Wild-Card Quarterback

 Boston  No Responses »
Nov 292012
 

From an outsider’s perspective, it’s incredibly easy to understand why the city of Boston has embraced Rajon Rondo.

Simply re-watch the series he had against the Miami Heat in last year’s playoffs to gauge an idea. 

He doesn’t back down to anyone, he rises to the occasion and he commands the point guard position with the same indispensable value as a quarterback. 

All the qualities befitting a born leader. 

But as the sports world was reminded yesterday, Rondo remains one of the league’s biggest headcases. 

Let me be clear: it’s one thing to lose your cool; the red flag is when you don’t recognize it. 

“I don’t think I did anything dirty…I don’t think it was more than a pushing war” (via ESPNBoston) Rondo offered earlier today, lacking the kind of perspective that a good night’s sleep should have afforded him. 

Now, if history teaches us anything, teams can get away with the accompanying grievances of a headcase when he’s a role player. Dennis Rodman and Metta World Peace taught us that much.

But, when it’s the guy responsible for spearheading the ship? Yeah, that might be a problem. 

Remember Allen Iverson and Charles Barkley?

Two of the best players to ever grace the league, hands down.

Two guys who just never could really be held accountable for their actions.

Yeah, you don’t see any rings on their fingers, do you?

Now, I’m not talking about “Senior” Charles Barkley or Allen “the preposition” Iverson. 

I’m talking about Sir Charles Barkley and Allen The Answer Iverson! 

And yet, their legacies will always be shortchanged as people wonder just how much further they could have gone if not for their attitudes. 

Care to debate me about whether Rajon Rondo has a chip on his shoulder?

Don’t bother.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers put that question to rest long ago, opting for the lesser evil of acknowledging why his floor leader looks chaffed all the time instead of letting it become an elephant in an Ubuntu-centered locker room. 

But the more telling aspect of the franchise’s position on its point guard came when GM Danny Ainge acknowledged  that they were, in fact, looking to trade Rondo for Chris Paul earlier last year. 

Ah, a rare moment of honesty. 

One that made an appearance again last night when Rivers called out Rondo for “overreacting.”

Here’s the Celtics’ problem though.

Between the lack of remorse Rondo continues to show, and the aging legs of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, this franchise doesn’t look like it’s headed anywhere positive. 

They were eliminated by the Miami Heat in the last two years of the playoffs. 

They lost Ray Allen in free agency, and partly because he didn’t get along with Rondo. (shocker!)

And now they are simply fighting, literally, to stay above .500. 

Meanwhile, in just one season, the player the Celtics wanted to trade Rondo for has lifted the Los Angeles Clippers from a perennial laughingstock to one of the league’s new powerhouse contenders. 

The Clippers are currently in first place in the Pacific Division; the Celtics are fourth in the Atlantic division. 

Taking into account Rondo’s recently announced two-game suspension, that standing doesn’t look to rise. 

I’ll tell you what should though. 

The trade rumors. 

Because it’s time the Celtics get rid of their prima donna point guard while Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce still have their legs underneath them. 

Now, there’s an answer that has a nice ring to it.  

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How Boston Celtics Are Replacing Ray Allen with Paul Pierce

 Boston  No Responses »
Nov 272012
 

The Boston Celtics are an organization that values players who win championships and live by their loyalty. Even as Ray Allen provided the Celtics with a title and numerous other opportunities to strike gold, his breach of allegiance was unforgivable when he signed with the Miami Heat this past offseason (via CBS Sports).

Fortunately for the Celtics, head coach Doc Rivers has found a way to replace Allen with Paul Pierce. Not the player you’d expect, is it?

Considering the Celtics lost the most decorated three-point shooter in NBA history, it’s difficult to truly fill his void. Through all of the biased hatred, there is no way around how dominant a shooter Allen was and still remains.

Such was a primary basis for offensive production in Boston for five seasons.

Unfortunately, all good things come to an end. After a calendar year of trade rumors, Allen finally decided to walk away and sign with Boston’s arch nemesis.

Such a backstabbing has motivated Pierce to step up and cause Boston to forget all about their former sharpshooter. Well, to a point.

Pierce is presently shooting 43.1 percent from beyond the arc and 87.2 percent from the charity stripe. Although he is not to be mistaken for Allen physically, Pierce’s numbers are rather Allen-esque, are they not?

Shooting the lights out is just the beginning of the ways Pierce has stepped in to fill Allen’s absence; he has also made significant adjustments in his style of play.

From providing point guard Rajon Rondo with a curling scorer to stepping up as the go-to sharpshooter, Pierce has done it all. Even as his perimeter teammates knock down shot after shot, one thing has become perfectly clear.

The 35-year-old Pierce has been tasked with replacing the 37-year-old Allen. He has responded magnificently.

 

Working Off of Screens

It is no secret that Allen is one of greatest motion basketball players in NBA history. The way Allen works off of screens is legendary, while his conditioning enables him to wear down players that are 15 years younger than he.

For evidence, watch the 37-year-old continue to work his magic in Miami. He’s shooting 52.9 percent from beyond the arc in 2012-13.

Although replacing Allen’s long-range shooting ability is virtually impossible, the Celtics have done an adequate enough job to maintain efficiency. Surprisingly, it isn’t Jason Terry who is filling said void as a three-point specialist.

Although Terry is shooting 41.2 percent from beyond the arc, it is Pierce who has taken more of Allen’s former role.

Thus far this season, 22.1 percent of Pierce’s shot attempts have come off of designed screen plays. That’s up from 14.0 in 2011-12, which displays how Pierce has stepped up to fill Allen’s void as a motion scorer.

As a result of this change in approach, Pierce is shooting 43.1 percent from beyond the arc. Up from 36.6 percent a year ago.

 

Transition Spot Up

One of the most underrated aspects of Ray Allen’s game is his ability to run in transition and spot up on a cue. This enables elite transition scorers and facilitators to capitalize on Allen’s presence as they either kick it out or keep a defender off balance until attacking the basket.

In turn, their attempts become far less contested.

With Allen gone from the team, point guard Rajon Rondo appeared to lack a transition shooter. Fortunately, Paul Pierce has stepped up to fill that void in a major way as 18.2 percent of his shot attempts have come in transition.

That’s up from 14.3 percent in 2011-12.

Although Pierce is shooting a rather underwhelming 42.8 percent from the floor, he still has stepped up to fill Allen’s void. With his selfless play and willingness to work without the basketball, the Celtics have transitioned nicely from where they were a year ago.

Due to Pierce’s contributions, they’re presently flowing on offense better than ever before.

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Who got shook worse: Tony Parker or Paul Pierce? (VIDEOS) (Ball Don’t Lie)

 Toronto  No Responses »
Nov 262012
 

Exhibit A, from the San Antonio Spurs’ visit to Indianapolis to take on the Indiana Pacers on Friday night, courtesy of Indy reserve Lance Stephenson:

And Exhibit B, from the Boston Celtics’ trip to Central Florida to square off against the Orlando Magic on Sunday afternoon, thanks to diminutive Orlando leader Jameer Nelson:

Yipes. I mean, first off, before we vote, it’s important to make sure that both Tony Parker and Paul Pierce are OK, because it looked like a sniper up in the rafters might have taken them both down right in the middle of play. A check of the postgame commentary and box scores indicates that neither suffered injuries — well, to anything beyond their pride, at least.

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Celtics grind out win over Magic (Reuters)

 LA Lakers  No Responses »
Nov 262012
 

(Reuters) – Kevin Garnett got hot at just the right time to score Boston’s final six points of regulation and force overtime as the Celtics dug deep to beat the Orlando Magic 116-110 on Sunday. Garnett put up 24 points and had 10 rebounds, while Paul Pierce knocked down the go-ahead three-pointer in overtime to help deliver the road victory. “That’s what it’s all about. Finding a way to win,” Pierce told reporters. “Not feeling sorry for ourselves late about giving up a pretty good lead. And just finding a way to grind it out. And that’s what we did. …

UPDATE 1-NBA-Celtics grind out win over Magic (Reuters)

 Orlando  No Responses »
Nov 252012
 

* Pierce lauds Celtics’ will to win * Orlando’s Redick scores 21 off bench Nov 25 (Reuters) – Kevin Garnett got hot at just the right time to score Boston’s final six points of regulation and force overtime as the Celtics dug deep to beat the Orlando Magic 116-110 on Sunday. Garnett put up 24 points and had 10 rebounds, while Paul Pierce knocked down the go-ahead three-pointer in overtime to help deliver the road victory. “That’s what it’s all about. Finding a way to win,” Pierce told reporters. “Not feeling sorry for ourselves late about giving up a pretty good lead. …

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Boston battle to overtime win over Orlando (Reuters)

 Orlando  No Responses »
Nov 252012
 

(Reuters) – Kevin Garnett got hot at just the right time to score Boston’s final six points of regulation and force overtime as the Celtics dug deep to beat the Orlando Magic 116-110 on Sunday. Garnett put up 24 points and had 10 rebounds, while Paul Pierce knocked down the go-ahead three-pointer in overtime to help deliver the road victory. Pierce finished with 23 points while Rajon Rondo had 15 and 16 assists, marking the 37th consecutive game he has registered at least 10 helpers. …

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