Rondo's comments aimed at Tony or Sheed

[Hemingway]

I am assuming everyone has heard Rondo's comments by now but I have not seen a topic posted yet. The real question in my mind is who is he calling out for having a different agenda? I've heard the case made for Sheed and Tony.

Sheed:
Fans and the media are down on him for not playing in the post. However, I think the plan with Sheed has always been, "I'm gonna sign on the cheap, work myself into shape over the season and not play physical for the first half of the season to avoid getting hurt." Yeah it would be better if he played the post for us right now, but the playoffs is when it counts.

Tony:
I heard a caller point to him today on WEEI as not getting along with Rondo. Can anyone verify this? He is playing for his next contract, so his future is very much up in the air. He could get a few mil from someone in the summer or he could be out of the league depending on how things go for him this year. He does drive a lot into multiple defenders but is this because he wants to score more to get a pay day or just Tony being Tony?

We don't have to think of this in absolutes by any means. Rondo could be flat out wrong or he could mean multiple people.

Thoughts?

[darrendaye]

On Sheed: He has a reputation for being a great teammate.

On Tony: He could be a malcontent. Or Rondo could simply get on his case because he doesn't always have that "attention to detail" and Rajon obviously is a very heady ballplayer. Also, TA has always been one of the biggest cheerleaders when on the bench. So, I'd chalk this assumption up more to your personal bias towards him, but I'm not going to come out and say it's not possible that he may be a troublemaker.

IMO, I'd guess that the rift is between KG and Baby. Baby had been quite vocal about his distain for having to swallow his pride and accept a bench role again after having a larger role in the playoffs.

[Pogue Mahone]

Hemingway, I think the answer is quite clear. When watching the game, pay close attention to which player is being barked at the most by his teammates for missing rotations (often not even making the effort), poor spacing, poor passes into the post, etc. The answer is (and has been) quite apparent for quite a bit of time.

I think sometimes we as fans put blinders on when certain players do and don't do things on the floor. I am just as guilty as anyone else in that regard, as well.

To be completely honest, it is my personal opinion that Sheed actually helps the team more with spacing the floor by setting up on the perimeter than he does by working on the low block. I think he is not part of the problem that Rondo, Pierce and Perkins were addressing.

[BadWolf]

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[ryaningf]

TA: no chance. He's playing the best ball of his career and finally 'got it' in terms of learning how to be a role player. I tend to watch TA and Rondo closer than most and I haven't seeen any disagreements that made me think they didn't like each other. In fact, right before going to the line for the 2nd time in the closing minutes against Wash. (and after missing the previous two), TA was in Rondo's ear giving him encouragement.

Sheed: possibly, though I tend to think his game gets maligned more than it deserves. Sheed does take plays off out there.

To me, Rondo's callling out either Ray or Baby. Ray has been forcing a lot of shots, or otherwise over-dribbling. The ball just sticks in his hands too much. I'm also reminded of what Donny Marshall said after talking to some Mavs players--they knew when the ball was going to Ray because on those plays he was actually running hard; when he was a decoy he just half-assed it.

Baby's had a seemingly sour attitude since he's been back (of course, it's difficult to gage attitude off the TV), but I still feel he's had some nice moments.

Eddie House has also been forcing alot of shots--and also campaigning to get into the 3 point contest--not exactly ubuntu things to do.

[ryaningf]

Hemingway, I think the answer is quite clear. When watching the game, pay close attention to which player is being barked at the most by his teammates for missing rotations (often not even making the effort), poor spacing, poor passes into the post, etc. The answer is (and has been) quite apparent for quite a bit of time.

I think sometimes we as fans put blinders on when certain players do and don't do things on the floor. I am just as guilty as anyone else in that regard, as well.

To be completely honest, it is my personal opinion that Sheed actually helps the team more with spacing the floor by setting up on the perimeter than he does by working on the low block. I think he is not part of the problem that Rondo, Pierce and Perkins were addressing.

So, do you mind naming names here Pogue?

[darrendaye]

So, do you mind naming names here Pogue?

My money's on Ray.

[Pogue Mahone]

So, do you mind naming names here Pogue?

My money's on Ray.

Right.

I do think there is a problem with Grande Gordito, as well, but I think it is more because of him being self-centered than team-based.

I didn't mention Ray by name because I wanted people to objectively think about every game we have all watched and, with that in mind, to picture what I was describing. Of course, in true Das Celticsbloggen fashion, I will still be "called out" as a Ray hater but whatever.

[darrendaye]

Pogue, I've never been the biggest Ray Allen fan either. But, I do try to appreciate that he is constantly in motion on offense and how much energy that exhausts, and the fact that he is not exceptionally quick laterally. This mitigates much of my criticism when I do see instances of Ray giving up on some defensive rotations or taking it easy on offense occasionally. Also, Rondo does defer the PG to Ray on more occasions than I'd like on defense.

[nasbahceltic]

So, do you mind naming names here Pogue?

My money's on Ray.

Right.

I do think there is a problem with Grande Gordito, as well, but I think it is more because of him being self-centered than team-based.

I didn't mention Ray by name because I wanted people to objectively think about every game we have all watched and, with that in mind, to picture what I was describing. Of course, in true Das Celticsbloggen fashion, I will still be "called out" as a Ray hater but whatever.

Pogue, I think this year more than any people are a little more open to seeing the warts in our star players (expecially Ray). So with that being said I don't think you'd be under as much heat as years past.

The only problem I have with moving Ray is who the hell do we acquire to make us a better team without him? Hinrich and Salmons/Tyrus Thomas seems to be the one most talked about, but I just don't have the greatest deal of faith in that one making us better.

[Banks2Pierce]

Why do I think Ray might be an issue this year? I don't know what's going on with him, but he does not pass Rondo the ball and often forces a stupid pass because of this.

[Joselo16]

Rondo and Perk always seem to be arguing about something, mostly seem to be about blown defensive assignments! TA is a free agent next year right, maybe he seems to want to earn his next contract! I have noticed there have been a lot of fast breaks that end up with as TO's this year, due to the player initiating it not passing the ball up!

[Banks2Pierce]

Rondo and Perk always seem to be arguing about something, mostly seem to be about blown defensive assignments! TA is a free agent next year right, maybe he seems to want to earn his next contract! I have noticed there have been a lot of fast breaks that end up with as TO's this year, due to the player initiating it not passing the ball up!

Rondo and Perk are best friends, though. Rondo was best man at his wedding.

[Pogue Mahone]

Regardless of which player it is or isn't, doesn't it ultimately fall on Doc?

I like Doc Rivers but it's his job to assemble the tools he has been given. It seems Doc hasn't accounted much for the growth of some players and the regression by others. A lot of times, it appears he is still having the team run plays like it is the fall of 2007.

[joneb]

Just to throw this out there as a speculative possibility, maybe Ray was asked to accept a reduced role of some sort and didn't take it well. Perhaps he was asked to come off the bench and wouldn't agree to it? And the point about D. Marshall's comments revealing a lack of full commitment coming off screens when the play is not drawn up for him is well taken. If D. Marshall starts criticizing Ray, then maybe things are pretty bad because that U Conn blood runs pretty thick.

Baby often seems to be pouting, but he's not been playing well enough lately to justify getting minutes if his attitude was bringing down the team.

TA is on Cloud 9 right now because he's back in the rotation. After all his ups and downs with injuries and other issues, he's ecstatic just to be contributing. So I doubt it's him.

Sheed is a little bit of an enigma. He often takes shots that evoke the worst memories of Antoine Walker. And he often seems to be on cruise control during some games. And his technicals can often occur at inopportune moments. But his teammates have always stood by him wherever he's played. Danny does his homework too well to bring in someone that could be a cancer in the locker room. And the Big Three were all enthusiastic enough about bringing him aboard that they personally got involved in his recruitment. These guys have been in the league long enough to know about Sheed's character, because word gets around the league over the years if a player is a malcontent. So While he may seem like an obvious candidate to blame because he is the major new addition to the team and because of his fiery personality, I'm not 100% convinced that he's the guy that Rondo is blaming.

I think we're pretty safe in eliminating the Captain, Perk and KG as the sources of the trouble, no? After that it gets interesting. I just hope the '09/'10 Celtics don't become some lame version of a soap opera.

[BRUNiNHO91]

Rondo's quotes came right after the Atlanta game didn't they?I really don't think he is taking a hit on somebody in specific, but on the whole bench. He says something about getting it done, from the 1st guy through the 15th..to me it basically says 'Hey, the starting 5 had the game at 1 in the 4th QT, then the other guys sucked and ruined our game'...I don't really see it as a crack on just one guy...IMO.

but if it really was for only one guy, I'm sure it's not Ray. It probably is Sheed or Big Baby.

[MyInsatiableOne]

Sheed has a history of being a guy his teammates tend to like playing with, so I'd put a lot of $$ on it being BBD who is the problem...

[JSABleedsGreen]

Sheed has a history of being a guy his teammates tend to like playing with, so I'd put a lot of $$ on it being BBD who is the problem...

My guess would be Glen "big b*tch baby" Davis. Since before the season started i knew this kid would be a problem. He's an immature little boy that doesn't know when to be a man and when to be man with a kid heart. It all started unravelling this summer during camp when he started b*tching about run, am I right? Then he goes and breaks his freaking hand by horsing around with some of his b*tch friends and now i can totally see him complaining again to Rondo or Perk and saying how he should be getting burn on the court.

Sheed is Sheed, what kind of agenda would Sheed have? I need to chuck more 3's? ... not sure he has agenda. I can see Glen having an agenda. Isn't this the kid who said that once he plays at All Star level in the NBA he's gonna tryout the NFL?

[Athanacropolis]

Sheed seems like a cool guy. He just suffers Antonie Walker disease.

My money is also on Baby, which is a shame, because I like his game (aside from the lack of hops). I doubt it's Tony or Ray...I'd be really surprised if Ray is turning into a clubhouse cancer. Dude seems too classy.

[BadWolf]

Baby doesn't play enough to justify such comments.
it's bench as a whole or Ray.