Usage dictating performance

[GreenDreamer]

I actually had to turn off the CSN broadcast because I got sick of Tommy calling for Rajon to drive last night. I love the guy, but he has one blind spot (yes, I know he has more than one) which has annoyed me for a while: Tommy seemingly doesn't think that having a pick and not having a pick make any difference in the game. This applies to both his comments regarding us, and those regarding other teams. In a game against the Knicks earlier this year he was wondering why Rondo wasn't going to the basket, because the Knick defenders would never get by the picks in time. That was true, regarding the Knicks. Unfortunately those picks actually have tio be set for that to unfold on the court. Many times this season that has been the case. This brings me to last night....

Rajon was scoring 24 ppg shooting over 50% from the field coming into last nights game. He scored plenty of points in transition, but in the half court those points were almost exclusively coming off of the pick and roll/pop. The Bulls simply could not handle him there. So why is it that these picks were not being set in last nights game until halfway through the 3rd quarter and beyond, and even then they were sporadic? Doc wanted to get Ray and Paul off. It worked great for Ray. Paul? not so much, which leads me to my next point.

Rondo is a fairly strightforward guy to analyse regarding his scoring. If he gets into his scoring flow in the 1st or 3rd quarters, then he is OK. Preferrably this is in the first, but I've seen them go to him in the 3rd after ignoring him in the first half before, and do quite well for the rest of the game. He generally doesn't get going in the 2nd, and if he is isn't going by the fourth, then you can forget about him for the rest of the game. In teh first 5 games of the sereis, he was on a roll right out of teh gates, and that made a big difference. Go away from this, and you are risking taking huis scoring out completely, yet Doc did this anyways. The Bulls didn't force us not to set these picks, we just didn't do it.

Rhythm is very important for the players. Look at Ray Allen. Not enough emphasis was put onto getting him in teh flow in Game 1, and he shot 1 for 12. That is RAY ALLEN I'm talking about. Paul is liable to the same things. If he doesn't get the ball in his spots, his efficiency goes way down. So why does Doc, after 5 games, suddenly decide to effectively destroy Rondo's scoring game? IMO, he thought that the Bulls would be so keyed in on stopping him, that he could use that to get Ray and Paul going.

The problem with this is "What if only one of them gets going, or if we NEED Rondo to score later on." More than that, Rondo is not a musclar slasher who can drag people in on his way to the basket. He does not absorb contact well in the air, and is susceptible to having his drives stalled by physical contact to the body on his way to the basket. He does not blast through people, he zigs and zags to make them miss. That is why he needs the picks, They give him separation from his defender, so he can go to multiple options (zip in to the bucket, take a jumper in his wheel house, hit the roll man, or find another open teammate). The picks also alert his teammates "HEY, Rondo is proabably going to the basket NOW", as the Celtics have an unfortunate habit of WATCHING him drive, instead of MOVING themselves when he goes solo. The picks also involve two defenders out away from the basket, so that of Rondo gets by them, that means that the backline of the Bulls defense has to make a quick decision "Get Rondo, or give up a look to my man". Rondo will make them pay inthat situation far more often than not. If the picks aren't set, then they can load up on him without getting too far out of position, while Rajon is dragging his BIGGER defender to the basket.

Give him the picks early and often, he usually does well. Don't give them to him, and you had better hope that the guys he is passing to are going to hit their shots. This should be no surprise to Doc, yet seemingly he is unaware of this (which is unlikely) or consciously does this because he thinks the bigger payoff lies elsewhere. The way things turned out last night, we ended up needing Rondo teh scorer at the end, but the previous 3 and half quarters of regualtion basketball revolved around getting other people their shots, and so Rondo (predictably) was unable to get ontrack when needed. Even our last real possession of the game was along these lines. ISO for Rondo. Why? Its one thing when he's hot, its another thing when the refs are only going to call the most blatant foul, and Rondo is as cold as ice. No pick, no player movement, just take Rose off of the dribble. Derrick is whacking him to the body as he comes in (I don't expect a foul in this situation), and even clips Rajon;'s elbow as he initially brings the ball up to shot the turnaround. Rondo has ZERO separation from his man and Rose has Noah getting his back. This was almost doomed to fail from the beginning.

I just don't think that it is smart to consciously execute a game plan which is likely to contain your own player. It is not good thinking. Maybe I didn't get the memo about Rondo adding 20 lbs of muscle, but as he is right now he is nasty off the picks, and very iffy when he has to take guys to the hole like that (and you know that Rondo was being told to be "aggressive", i.e. don't initially settle for any jumpers.) Strength is an important part of the game... it is why a guy like Ray Allen is not anywhere near Paul Pierce when it comes to going to the basket. They are both around the same height and speed, but Paul is much, much stronger.

The Bulls didn't "stop' us from setting picks for Rondo. We just didn't set them for him, or least waited so damn long to set them that his rhythm was non existent. It was alot of fun watching Ray get so hot, but watching Rondo take more than HALF of his shots in the waning moments of the fourth quarter and the 3 overtimes was NOT fun. It isn't the first time that this has happened either. We lost several games this season almost solely because Rondo couldn't throw a rock in the ocean at the end, yet hardly took any shots up until that point because we were so focused on getting other guys the ball.

If this isn't rectified next game, we are going to be in big trouble. The kid is who he is. He's been this way all along. Throwing him away in the HOPE of getting Ray and Paul going is bad business, because we absolutely cannot take him off of the court. Doc has to find a way to get all three involved without "sacrificing" any of them. The offseason will be a lot longer if he doesn't.

[celticfan42487]

I never listen to Tommy in the playoffs. I only switch during timeouts of overtimes to avoid the commercials.

I feel that he can drain you as a fan after watching for a number of years.

And I agree that Rondo isn't a go to scorer. But there's only one ball, and Rondo can put some pressure on the bulls defense to rotate to him.

Watching Rondo and seeing Rose with a jumpshot and much more strength really is making me a fan of Rose. Kid has unlimited offensive potential.

[Bad-Thoma]

I love listening to Tommy even if he isn't always right, his heart is with the team as though he is still playing for or coaching them. There is no Celtic fan out there bigger than the big guy with the microphone.

[ryaningf]

Good post, GreenDreamer. I was also puzzled why we seemingly didn't get Rondo off like we had all series but I really couldn't pinpoint why he wasn't driving. Whatever it was, it needs to stop in Game 7. To me, we too often become predictable when we try to get Paul and Ray off. I mean, sure, it's important to get Ray and Paul going early, but it's also important to do it in the right way. Too often, getting them off involves them forcing bad shots, which then leads to bad ball movement and/or turnovers. To me, Rondo needs to be the focus of the offense from the beginning every game...you let him set the pace and then let the other guys fill in around him. Rondo is the best player in this series and to consciously or unconsciously self-limit his ability to dominate was a recipe for failure.

That said, I thought Rondo reverted a little in the fourth quarter and I'm not going to put that all on the fact that he didn't get his flow going earlier. He basically backed away from the moment, when the moment was calling him to seize it. Those missed free throws, which would have put us up 10, ended up swinging momentum back in Chicago favor. Yes, Tommy was a little too simplistic about expecting Rondo to get to the rim without a good pick, but I thought Tommy was ABSOLUTELY right that we were waiting too long to start our offense and that started after Rondo missed the free throws. Those two possessions that ended up in TA desperation runners were basically doomed from the beginning by a lack of urgency from the point guard spot. Rondo needs to settle the team there and make sure they run their stuff. That's how he got the team back in the game after they got down by 12. But after the missed free throws he quit doing that and you can bet when he thinks back to this game it'll be back to those 3 and half minutes after he missed the free throws and inadvertantly changed his mindset from aggressive to passive. This will be a learning experience for him, so I'm not going to go all Internet gung ho on him and 'blame' him for the loss. But he knows what he should have done and I think he'll make adjustments the next time the situation come up. I expect his best game of the series on Saturday night.

As always, GreenDreamer, I enjoy your posts on Rondo. You have the best handle on the kid's game that I've seen on any message board. Keep them coming!

[billfromBoston]

I actually think it was pretty straight forward - after Rondo's game 5 foul the team expected Rondo to get fouled hard going to the basket, so instead of risking injury they adjusted and didn't commit him to the lane as much.

I think it was good strategy as Chicago clearly would have been head-hunting in that game and Rondo would have gotten leveled multiple times with harsh body blows.

I expect Rondo to be back to his old tricks at home now that we're a game removed from "slap gate" and will enjoy home town officiating, (hopefully.)

I do however expect a loss - Boston has pulled rabbits out of their **** the last two games to force OT - I don't see them doing so 3 times in a row and nothing i've seen from either team indicated Boston has the ability to pull away from Chicago.

Unless the Bulls magically get scared of game 7, they will push Boston to the limit and i doubt Boston has another 4th quarter of heroics to rely on...maybe Paul shows up, but i'm not expecting it.

[humblebum]

That's more or less how I'm feeling too.

But I'm not sure the Celtics were intimidated to send Rondo into the paint. The officials would have been ALL OVER THAT right away. The Refs clear emphasis was going to be on keeping both teams in check in regards to physical play. I tend to believe it was either one of the two things... either Rondo's ankle wasn't right and/or they simply just wanted to focus on getting Ray and Paul engaged in the offense. As GreenDreamer suggests.

I still believe the Celtics can pull it off in game 7. I really think they are the most mentally tough team in the NBA. A supremely scrappy bunch. The Bulls are a bit more talented/deep than the Celtics minus KG-Powe. I just can't count out the Champs right now. But I'm definitely not expecting a win.