RealGM

Over the past two years, and expecially this season, we have been witnesses to Rondo's mighty ascent in stature as an NBA player. Before last season the conventional wisdom was that Rondo was a marginal starter, and probably best suited to be a reserve off the bench. By the end of last season Rondo was clearly a necessary cornerstone for the Cs, but it was still unclear how much better he would get. His play ran hot and cold, largely determined by whether he was playing at home or on the road. His astonishing Game 6 in the finals was lost in the blizzard of the blow-out where the entire team dominated. But it showed something that has become more clear this season: when Rondo dominates, the team is as close to unbeatable as an NBA team can be. You almost have to pity the opponents.

This year Rondo has established himself as a legitimate all-star candidate. What is striking about his game is that it still seems like we are only getting around 50-60 percent of the player Rondo will be in three or four years. No other young star has such a massive upside in front of him. Chris Paul is the exception, a young point guard who comes into the league at near superstar level. Most great points -- Kidd, Payton, Stockton, Nash, Billups -- take a few years to get their sea legs. When Rondo gets his ft % up to 75-80 percent, gets comfortable with the pull-up mid-range jump shot, gets comfortable with the occasional spot-up 3, learns the nuances of the game even more, he will move from all-star to all-pro. (Note I say when, not if. Rondo has established he has the heart of a champion. The dude is a warrior.) The only issue will be if he moves to MVP status. If he does, we are in for a great decade, where we will be an annual 60 win team until 2020.

Why this post today? For the first time in his career Rondo now has a PER over 20. PER has its weaknesses but it has the strength of making it clear who is dominating games. Rondo has firmly made the Big 3 the Big 4. And Perk is staking a claim to just junk the nickname altogether.

One other point: If Rondo does become an all-pro, and MVP candidate, a few years down the road, it will cement Danny Ainge as one of the greatest GMs of all-time. Danny was on to Rondo when Rondo was in high school.

I've been thinking of your elite player theory in regards to Rondo Elrod and am glad you've confirmed what I've noticed. Rondo seems to be on his way to greatness.

Tommy is calling him Cousy with athleticism. We've heard Tommy say that pass was one like Cousy would throw many times. But we've never heard him say that player is like Cousy.

Nah....he's just a scrub.....

Kefa461 wrote:Nah....he's just a scrub.....

Gary Payton, is that you??

Tommy has glowing opinions of every Celtic past and present...with that said I have never heard him dish out praise like he does for Rondo...he literally wants Rondo to run the show and be the man on this squad...the kid is just bannanas and still young as hell. His confidence has always been through the roof almost to a fault, but having that kind of mentality is the only way he would have survived with the big three...

I still cannot believe how he manages a game and gets everyone involved. He is like a 10 year veteran out there on the floor. he sees everything before it happens...he makes perfect crisp passes to Ray right off the curl...he's unselfish and drops the ball of to his big men on fast breaks when he could just take the lay-up....everyone appreciates that especially Perk. Guys play so far off him because of his drive that he can make any pass at any time...it back fires on opponents...he will be without a question what teams will game plan for going forward now that word is out around the League...Rondo is that dude.