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Rondo needs to spend some more time with Tom Thibodeau on how to handle an aggresive gaurd on the pick and roll. His lack of defense was one of the main reasons for the loss to the raptors. He let Jose Calderon get anywhere he wanted on the floor. He needed help evrytime it seemed leading to open 3's the entire game. And on the last play when Calderon made the three point play he let him go right by him with ease. The fact that he had no fouls the enitre game showed that he wasnt aggresive enough on defense. Don't get me wrong he is an excellent defender on stealing the ball but he needs to get better at the pick and roll. If you think toronto hit alot of open threes wait till Nash plays us, if Rondo plays the same kind of defense he did against Toronto we'll lose by 20.

I agree but its easier said thean done. He is a pretty slight guy and is exactly the type who is susceptible to the P & R. I thought on the last play that Rondo was probably a bit surprised that their wasn't a pick and that hesitation was all Calderon needed. It definitely will be intereesting to see what happens when we play NO, Pheonix, Utah as they are extreme P & R teams too. Good point on using fouls too.

Pick & roll defense is primarily on the Bigs coming hard.

Posey's absence was felt in that area, as was his perimeter defense.

I think Cedric Maxwell's suggestion to have Tony Allen overplay Calderon's right hand, and force him to his less creative, slower left; would be a good idea. Don't know why they played Calderon straight up.

But again, pick and roll defense requires the Bigs to come hard from wherever they are, and then the guard to go under or over the pick. The failure was probably more due to Davis and Powe and Scal and Perk and no Posey, who typically plays 12 of his 22 minutes at the power forward spot, especially at the end of the game.

It's time for Rondo to ride the pine. Once Stoudamire gets here, Rondo needs to be a backup. He's not even doing the things he's good at anymore.

I have always been a big Rondo fan since we ever debated drafting him or not, but his defense has been piss-poor recently. I don't know if it's lingering effects of the injuries or what, but he's been bad.

We, the Celtics, and he, Rondo almost let Sebastian Telfair beat us tonight.

WOW!

yeah, i don't know whats up with his defense, it has been horrid latley

i want to chalk it up to his hamstring, but i'm not close enough to the situation

i mean you dont just suck defensivley all of a sudden, so it has to be something

i have to wonder if rondo is hurt. he doesn't look like the same player

He's probably the one guy on the team who's been coached to focus on his offense.

Maybe that's been overdone.

Also, I would add an observation that he hasn't hit an open jumper in literally several weeks now.

He hit one tonight I think..

Rondo doesn't move his feet, that's why he sucks so bad on defense. He just reaches in hoping for a steal. With his speed he should be able to stay in front of almost anyone.

bakafool wrote:Rondo doesn't move his feet, that's why he sucks so bad on defense. He just reaches in hoping for a steal. With his speed he should be able to stay in front of almost anyone.

I think it's that he plays for the steal instead of playing to stop penetration. He also abuses his athleticism by try to use his speed to get back in plays when he's lost his man.

I agree Rondo has been playing bad defense lately. But the key work is lately. Did you guys forget that Rondo was just coming back from several different injuries?

Rondo still doesn't look 100%. You can tell because his lateral quickness isn't the same. Rondo is one of the quickest , fastest guys in the league when he is healthy. Rondo will be fine.

return2glory wrote:I agree Rondo has been playing bad defense lately. But the key work is lately. Did you guys forget that Rondo was just coming back from several different injuries?

Rondo still doesn't look 100%. You can tell because his lateral quickness isn't the same. Rondo is one of the quickest , fastest guys in the league when he is healthy. Rondo will be fine.

yeah pretty much my thoughts on the situation