Rajon top guard in the East?....per ESPN

mainevent3405 · Post #1 » by **mainevent3405** » Sun Dec 7, 2008 1:01 pm

Front page of ESPN, an Eastern conference scout ranked the top three guards in the East right now, and in order:
East scout on the top three point guards in his conference

"Coming into the year I'd have said that [Jose] Calderon is the best true point guard of the group. Based on what we've seen so far, I'll say [Rajon] Rondo, then [Devin] Harris, then [Derrick] Rose. I've only seen Rose in person a couple times, but everything you've heard is true: He's pretty darn good already. But I'll put Harris just ahead of him; New Jersey's [new] style of play really works to his benefit.

"The thing about that [dribble-drive] offense is that when [Harris] gets the ball with a dribble handoff, he's at full speed … and he's already quick. So he's another step ahead of the defender who's playing catch-up. He's always been a pretty good aggressive driver, but he's been able to attack even more than he used to in Dallas. I don't think [Harris] has to think as much. He uses his instincts, looks to score first and is playing at a really high level."

Seems like our boy is finally getting some notice!

cfan79 · Post #2 » by **cfan79** » Sun Dec 7, 2008 3:13 pm

I love Rondo, but I'm not going to overrate him. He does have better players around him then every other point guard in the league. So he has more to work with. He is really good though.

wigglestrue · Post #3 » by **wigglestrue** » Sun Dec 7, 2008 4:21 pm

You're not going to overrate him? So...you're saying a pro scout is?

GuyClinch · Post #4 » by **GuyClinch** » Sun Dec 7, 2008 5:13 pm

^^^ Why not? You think Pro Scouts rate guys perfectly? Rondo is great and all but I would trade him for Rose in a heartbeat. Rose is surrounded by garbage. I hope it doesn't ruin his development.

cfan79 · Post #5 » by **cfan79** » Sun Dec 7, 2008 5:42 pm

wigglestrue wrote:You're not going to overrate him? So...you're saying a pro scout is?

Rondo is a solid point guard, but he hasn't shown he's the best point guard in the east yet. There's no shame in that though.

djdjdj28 · Post #6 » by **djdjdj28** » Sun Dec 7, 2008 6:59 pm

Rondo has the potential to be the best point guard in the east by the end of this year or early next year but as of right now I'd have to say harris is better.

HicksvsKnicks08 · Post #7 » by **HicksvsKnicks08** » Sun Dec 7, 2008 7:47 pm

I think Rondo is a great point guard. Would his numbers slip if he played for Golden State? probably but one could argue they might increase as he would have less to work with.

Right now I put the top PG is the east as : Devin Harris, Mike Bibby then Rondo

campybatman · Post #8 » by **campybatman** » Sun Dec 7, 2008 8:01 pm

The first All-Star voting results will be released Thursday, with a potential issue at the forefront. Second-year New Jersey forward Yi Jianlian could be aided strongly by votes from his native China as he competes for one of the two starting Eastern Conference forward spots with superstars Kevin Garnett and LeBron James.

If Yi is not voted in as an All-Star, the budding big man has no chance of the East coaches voting him in as a reserve. But when the reserves are revealed for the Feb. 15 game in Phoenix, there could be a lot of new blood.

Boston guard Rajon Rondo, Indiana forward Danny Granger, New Jersey guard Devin Harris, Chicago rookie point guard Derrick Rose, Orlando forward Hedo Turkoglu, and Atlanta guard Mike Bibby all could make a run for their first All-Star appearance.

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball ... ny/?page=2

Zin5 · Post #9 » by **Zin5** » Sun Dec 7, 2008 8:32 pm

All assets of their game considered, I'd put Harris at one, Calderon at two, Rondo at three, and Rose at four for best point guards in the East. Calderon's probably slightly better on the offensive end than Harris, but Harris is a much better defender and more than makes up for it. If Rondo keeps up his recent tearing up of the league and stays aggressive for the rest of the year, I'll put him ahead of Calderon and right there with Harris, but he's still inconsistent and needs to not coast through some games.

Truthiracy · Post #10 » by **Truthiracy** » Sun Dec 7, 2008 8:34 pm

Well he's definitely better than Calderon, and he's a better fit for this team than Harris...Rose may be better here but he's a rookie. We'd lose more games with Arenas, and I think Bibby is garbage now, still, Rondo's not the Easts best PG yet IMO.

Put a lot of other pass first PGs on this team and they'd excel too.

Post #11 » by **canman1971** » Sun Dec 7, 2008 9:07 pm

Didn't want to start a new thread on this, but Rondo is one of only two guards out of the top 23 players in the league in FG%, the other being Tony Parker. The rest are forwards/Centers.

Post #12 » by **UGA Hayes** » Sun Dec 7, 2008 11:11 pm

the only thing with rose is that right now he isn't a good defender. If you are talking about future than it makes sense to put rose ahead. Just b/c defense isn't sexy doesn't mean rondo should be penalized for it being his biggest trump card.

3pt % · Post #13 » by **3pt %** » Mon Dec 8, 2008 12:40 am

It's all about the situation and Rondo is perfect for the C's, so he looks as good as he can.

He is surrounded by shooters (including KG who floats out and drags an oppostion forward with him, so the drive an ddish works perfectly. Put him in Philly with all the slashers and he might have a more difficult time of it.

GreenGrizz · Post #14 » by **GreenGrizz** » Mon Dec 8, 2008 2:39 am

I am talking about a point guard who can average more than 12 points, 5 assists, 3 steals and 5 rebounds is definitely a huge contributor. You look at other point guards who average 20 points and 10 assists. They only shoot and pass. They don't win games.

Post #15 » by **ParticleMan** » Mon Dec 8, 2008 3:24 am

He's in the conversation, but no, I'd trade Rondo for Harris or Rose in a flat second, they are both better. Bibby is good too, but I'd take Rondo over Bibby for defense.

GuyClinch · Post #16 » by **GuyClinch** » Mon Dec 8, 2008 4:49 am

the only thing with rose is that right now he isn't a good defender. If you are talking about future than it makes sense to put rose ahead. Just b/c defense isn't sexy doesn't mean rondo should be penalized for it being his biggest trump card.

I don't really agree. Rondo plays some D - he is great and sneaking in there and stealing the ball and playing the passing lanes. But his man D is not stellar - and in fairness not many PG's are. But guys beat him..

With a PG you have to value the offensive game the most - they just don't take over games from a defensive end.

Pete

Datruth345 · Post #17 » by **Datruth345** » Mon Dec 8, 2008 4:57 am

rose harris rondo

any order of those three is acceptable

ryaningf · Post #18 » by **ryaningf** » Mon Dec 8, 2008 5:06 am

If Harris and NJ were winning, he might have a case for the All-Star team. He's putting up some very impressive numbers. But they ain't winning. It's really easy to put up big numbers on a bad team, especially if you always have the ball in your hands. Harris is just another shoot-first point on a bad team, and I don't think that should be enough to get into an All-Star game.

Rose won't make it 'cause his team sucks too. Calderon is a good player too, but once again, what is he doing to make the players around him better? Nothing; that team is seriously terrible right now. Bibby might get sympathy votes, but I'd put Joe Johnson and Al Horford ahead of him in terms of deserving to make the All-Star team and I think they'll block any chance Bibby has of making it.

To me, the Cs record and Rondo's improved play is enough to get him in this year. Regardless of whether his situation is more or less advantageous than any other PG trying to get to the All-Star game, the fact remains: he's the most indispensible player on the best team in the league.

Oh, and I wouldn't trade Rondo for anybody right now. He does too much out there. Others may score more, or get more assists, but who puts its all together like Rondo? Nobody, and when he plays those other guys head-to-head, he almost always wins the matchup. Rondo has taken Steve Nash's dribble innovations, combined them with great defensive instincts, good vision, great BBIQ, giant hands, and insane speed. And his shot is coming, day-by-day. Rondo will be the best PG in the League at some point in his career, you can bet on it.

NetsForce · Post #19 » by **NetsForce** » Mon Dec 8, 2008 7:51 am

ryaningf wrote:If Harris and NJ were winning, he might have a case for the All-Star team. He's putting up some very impressive numbers. But they ain't winning. It's really easy to put up big numbers on a bad team, especially if you always have the ball in your hands. Harris is just another shoot-first point on a bad team, and I don't think that should be enough to get into an All-Star game.

The Nets are 11-8 (5th in the East, 11th best record overall), having won 7 of their last 10 games with 5 of those games being on the road... Only counting the games Harris has actually played in (he missed 3 games with an ankle injury) the Nets are 11-5.

Even as a Nets fan I don't know if the Nets can keep this up - the Nets defense is horrible - but as of right now Harris isn't just "putting up very impressive numbers" on a "bad team" that isn't winning...

Copperhead · Post #20 » by **Copperhead** » Mon Dec 8, 2008 8:50 am

canman1971 wrote:Didn't want to start a new thread on this, but Rondo is one of only three guards out of the top 23 players in the league in FG%, the other being Tony Parker. The rest are forwards/Centers.

You left out 1 other guard. Parker has played 12 games less than Rondo but has already taken 3 more shots than Rondo. Rondo doesn't take that many fg attempts. Most of his are driving layups and runners/floaters. Kind of like Parker actually. The amount that he takes and the kinds he takes makes for a good efficiency.