Pierce Says Rondo Should be An All-Star

[GuyClinch]

The "good" Rondo of the last five or so games is all-star worthy. But the "bad" perhaps injured Rondo of the first 10 or so isn't. So it really depends how he keeps playing.

[bruno sundov]

Dude is an all star now. The only pg in the L better than him are CP3,Deron,Nash and add whoever I'm forgetting. Easy top 5pg in the L.

[Kids Are Alright]

If I said it before I will say it a thousand times--- Rondo is a big time facilitator. Having him play off the ball plays to his weaknesses, kills offensive continuity and the entire team suffers. Of the remaining major minute loggers, Pierce and Garnett are the best playmakers. Taking the ball out of Rondo's hands makes the team worse. The implication should be abundantly clear.

If Ray continues to show improved spacing and off-the-ball court awareness, wonderful. If, when an inevitable slump comes, Ray reverts to the poor spacing and dilly-dallying with the ball we saw at the beginning of the season, I will echo my previous statements.

Oh, regardless of who is actually voted to the all-star team, Rondo has been playing at an All-Star caliber level since he has been in the league*. Last year, he was on the verge of attaining Superstar level.

*As mentioned by overall impact.

Yeah, the absence of any defense in the last two games is all because of Ray's dilly-dallying with the ball.

What about Pierce's TO's in the last two games? How did Rondo overcome these issues?

Rondo just reacted (as he said) to great D by the C's and weak D by the opposition, used his speed and kicked butt.

I'm real tired of your Ray Allen theory!

[Pogue Mahone]

Yeah, the absence of any defense in the last two games is all because of Ray's dilly-dallying with the ball.

Rondo's improved performance, relative to that in the early season, has actually been longer than that. The jump in both efficiency and quantity has come with increased usage. Go back and read exactly what I have written on the subject. If it is too nuanced, I will be more than happy to expound upon my reasoning for saying what I did.

What about Pierce's TO's in the last two games? How did Rondo overcome these issues?

If you are going to fling stones from the sidelines, at least tighten your shot group first. If you want to have a meaningful comparison of analysis, cool, but, if you aren't going to think things through, don't bother even responding to me.

I'm real tired of your Ray Allen theory!

Why? This forum is a place for fans and observers to talk basketball, correct? Additionally, I never said anyone had to agree with me. In fact, I asked for other people to tell me why I was wrong in my analysis because I couldn't for the life of me understand how so few of us could see it and others couldn't.

As stated before, I like Ray and I hope he continues to play better off the ball and, when he has the ball in his hands, that he gives it up instead of the time wasting dribbles that only leave Ray with a shot. When Ray Allen plays in the manner I had previously described as being ideal, the Celtics' offense is at its most efficient and the C's win. Ultimately, that is all I care about.

I want to ask questions and I want to find answers to those questions. I want to know why things happen on the floor and, if they are bad, how they can be solved. I don't subscribe to groupthink. I apologize if that interrupts and interferes with your fan experience.

Does anyone know of an active Celtics messageboard, where people who really want to examine the game and understand all its intricacies can go and share in the knowledge? Because this place is turning into Das Celticsbloggen without the roach problem.

[Kids Are Alright]

Thus, the slow starts, the strong finishes, the wilted defense at Indiana, Tony Allen's rise as an offensive player, Pierce's ability to dominate when needed, Perk's improved play....all comes down to the Ray Allen floor-spacing issues, and after an entire relentless thread related to that issue, this will regurgitated on thread after thread as the explanation.

IMO, Ray is the consummate professional NBA player. He's no PP, yet he was doubled throughout the Cav's series last year, was decisive in the the Laker's series and is about as efficient lately as one could reasonably expect.

Funny, I watched that game and it seems that Rondo was on the front end of fast breaks, created TO's, got rebounds, made assists. I didn't somehow see it as a change in Ray's half-court behavior that allowed the outlet passes to RR or Rondo's breaking down the defense prior to the defense getting set.

True, when Ray's shot is off, he hurts us. So does KG's. Ray should respond by driving and dishing more when he's cold or running the pick and roll.....but I kinda don't buy into the Ray Allen's inability (and Doc's by default) to space the floor.

[Kids Are Alright]

Yeah, the absence of any defense in the last two games is all because of Ray's dilly-dallying with the ball.

Does anyone know of an active Celtics messageboard, where people who really want to examine the game and understand all its intricacies can go and share in the knowledge? Because this place is turning into Das Celticsbloggen without the roach problem.

Jeesh, nice rant.

[elrod enchilada]

Thsi remains the best board I know of. The title RealGM suggests it is for fans who want to engage in big picture discussion of their teams. That is what you do with your posts Pogue and they are much appreciated by me and many others.

Rondo is already making the Cs a "Big Four" more than a Big Three. Last year I thought he surpassed Ray in terms of his value to the team. That remains true. I thik he will becoem a much better player in three or four years. Chris Paul is a freak, an uber-superstar, so comparisons to him are not relevant. But most other great poinst take a few years in the league to get their sealegs: Nash, Kidd, Payton, Billups, etc.

I wonder how much Ray's problems that you have deliniated are health-related. Last year he was just a shadow of the Ray Allen I watched in Seattle and Milwaukee. He seems stronger this year, but still is not the player he once was. Tall wiry athletic jumpshooters tend to have good longevity so I do not think he is washing up. I think he could continue to rebound this year and have a great season next year, getting his ankles back will make a big difference. I don't think he is 100 percent quite yet.

[Kids Are Alright]

I watched him play more at Seattle than Bucks but maybe a bit of role adjustment going on last year...and do you think at 33 his ankles are continuing to improve? I'm guessing that (athletically speaking) what we see is what we get.

I'll buy into the big 4 when RR will a take an open 15 footer, until then, he's gonna have games where he disappears and games where he dominates, it's up to the defense.

If Ray's spacing problems, as articulated repeatedly by a poster, are going to be the barometer of the Celtics, then we're in good shape.

Interesting on nights where Pierce doesn't bring his A game how this team plays its heart out and usually wins (and doesn't result in negative PP threads).

Oh how I wish there was a board where I can nit-pick the play a perennial all-star and not receive admiration for that opinion....

[Gant]

The further Ray Allen gets from those ankle operations, the better he'll play. His troubles were not age related, they were medical.

As for Rondo: the fact that Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen willingly and enthusiastically stand aside so Rondo can take over a game says all you need to know.

[Kids Are Alright]

ok, I'm buying into the Rondo turning into a big time pg after the first 30 min of the philly game

[Celtsfan1980]

Obviously Rondo has to take more open jumpers. With a good jump shot where teams try guarding him he does have all star potential. The only team I can recall having 4 all-stars is Detroit a few years ago and they were just dominant in the beginning of the season. It's very hard to have 4 all stars in a normal season, so I don't think Boston will ever have 4. If they can get the all-star game in Boston during the last season of Garnett's contract or even the year before, there's a chance the fans will vote enough to put him through but that is really the only hope IMO.

[Antetokounmpo]

Dude is an all star now. The only pg in the L better than him are CP3,Deron,Nash and add whoever I'm forgetting. Easy top 5pg in the L.

Rose, Calderon, Billups, etc. I have to admit that, even though Rondo is my top 3 fav.