There was a time of course, before the Celtics swaped the 5th pick and their youth for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen and formed the Fab 3 with Paul Pierce, the unquestioned leader of the Celtic Franchise. A time of mediocrity that eventually led to losing. But with that losing came exciting youth.
In the name of now Minnesota Timberwolves F/C Al Jefferson, Mavericks Swing Man Gerald Green and Cavaliers Starting Combo Guard Delonte West. Delonte West managed the game beautifully to averaging a 15/5/5 with the Boston Celtics. Gerald Green infuriated with his lack of BBall IQ but his talent was there, leading many to compare to T-Mac. Al Jefferson was an inside post presence, many comparing to the Boston Great Bill Russell.
Note: Some Posters on RealGM/Other boards have made these comparisons. I'm only going by what I remember.
Underneath the talented youth of Boston laid another young kid, one not so highly touted. He was picked in the mid-rounds. Like Thad Young and Rodney Stuckey after him. He was long and leaky. He didn't exactly look like he'd have a great offensive impact. Though his defensive skills were obvious. It wouldn't be so bad if he turned out to be Fred Jones, the 6'5 Indianapolis Guard known for his defensive game.
After failing to get the #1 overall draft pick, Danny Ainge sensed that the rebuilding project was as far as it could go. And packaged the fifth along with some other pieces to net in Ray Allen. Now the Celtics had a sharp shooting 2 guard to go along with the explosive Pierce and the young Al Jefferson. But Ainge had other plans. He traded the All-star Forward, the explosive Green, and the young Combo Guard stud to bring in: Kevin Garnett.
Kevin Garnett, who was like Duncan in many ways at 6'11, long arms. He was such an upgrade over Jefferson. Now the Celtics were set. With a man who could not only patrol the paint. But give them a legit post presense down low. This along with a banger in Kenderick Perkins, Ray Allen, PP. The talent was there.
But the questions were mounting: So many good players, all in the same starting lineup? Would there be enough balls to go around? And who was the Point Guard? With Delonte West gone, the position was weak....Seemingly.
Rajon Rondo, the young kid with offensive question marks heard of the trades to acquire the Hall of Fame Shooting Guard and Power Forward. And he immediately swore to work on his game. And to meet the Fab-3 in person. The commitment Rondo made to the team was the beginning of the journey that would eventually unveil a 17th banner in Beanstown.
While Rondo's offensive game may not have taken up to speed that year(10.9 PPG). He did his job as a Point Guard. Defensively being the stud that he was. Along with his 6 AST-1 Turnover. The Celtics got more then what they bargained for. But infact, they didn't even know what they got yet.
Following the year they won the NBA title. Rondo didn't regress, he improved dramatically. Showing what he showed in the Playoffs in early February: Averaging 13/10/7 Rebs. And while it may not have shown itself on a consistent basis. In 4 months, Rondo averaged more then 12 pts a game. Slowly but surely, Rondo was becoming a beast on the offensive end.
Indeed, Rondo was more then a role-player now. He was becoming and he most definately is. The unquestioned franchise Point Guard of the Boston Celtics. His defense, his poise, his command. Kevin Garnett commented on it and praised Rondo. Little did we realize how serious Garnett was. In the face of hall of famers, the quiet but poised Rondo improved himself.
Of course, having 3 hall of famers may have made it alot easier for Rondo then it would've been managing the team starting Jefferson and Green. But it was also alot harder. How to get the ball in the spots for these great scorers to score? Their tendencies? Their weaknesses. To learn that all in the face of 2-3 months and then to win an NBA title?
Rondo was then and now: For real. The C's got a HUGE steal. A franchise point guard for cash? This is the basketball equivalent of when Tom Brady went all the way down to the 6th round. Or when the Miami Dolphins were able to select Dan Marino at #27.
But nothing was more evident then the series in Chicago and Last Night's game in Orlando. Down 2-1, in the face of a near-insurmountable 3-1 deficit possibly at the hands of the Magic who just a few nights ago blew them out? Rajon Rondo responded offensively like he has all Playoffs long: Like he's somehow a combination of Allen Iverson and Magic Johnson.
Managing the game, beautifully like a Magic, Rebounding like a Magic(13 rebounds, holy **** batman
). And scoring like an A.I getting in the Lane and drawing fouls like it's no body's business.(He only shot 7 attempts from the field). Rajon Rondo has stepped up his game considerably in the face of Kevin Garnett's absence, and he's stepped up his leadership and it shows.Where are the Celtics if Rajon Rondo doesn't step up like he has? Facing a Derrick Rose-caliber PG. Then finding himself with an under-rated duo of Lee and Redick or Lee/Alston?
They're probably at home, sitting and eating popcorn while we would've watched the very entertaining thought of Dwight Howard trying to beat Derrick Rose and likewise, could Rose get past the shotblocking prowess that Howard brings? Ah, maybe next year we'll see.
Thanks to Rondo though, Celtic fans can tune in at 7 and watch their basketball team. A team that Glen Davis said "played Celtics Basketball". They couldn't have played it without Rajon Rondo.
It was Big Baby who hit the shot, it was Pierce who created the winning play. But it was the young Point Guard: Rajon Rondo. Who filled the offensive void of Kevin Garnett.
With his newly found mid-range J and his speed. Rondo is a monster in the paint like a Garnett. And he's an incredible playmaker. His speed and his J opens up SO much for the Celtics. So many open 3's for two dangerous shooters. One a hall of famer, the other a dangerous slasher. And if Glen Baby Davis can keep on knocking down that Mid-range J?
Before the playoffs began, we knew it was going to be tough for the Celtics. It got tougher losing Powe to injury. But this one man, this young man that was so filled with questions two years ago is seemingly giving all the answers and is creating a path, a tunnel to an 18th banner on that mystical Boston Garden:
In the midst of all the LeBron hype, we could be witnessing the next Bob Cousy.
