Jason Terry gets along better with Rondo than Ray did, right?

Despite many fans not wanting to believe it, it was very well known among people following last year's Boston Celtics team that Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen didn't get along. So when the less moody or passive aggressive Jason Terry took Ray's place this Summer it was widely assumed that the Jet and Rondo would get along much better. Terry has gotten off to a less than stellar start with the Celtics. He's only averaging 11 points per game, the least he's averaged since his 1999-2000 rookie season with the Atlanta Hawks.

It's not a playing time issue. Terry is averaging just one minute less a game than he did with the Mavs the previous two seasons. So what is it? Did Terry suddenly get old? Is he not a good fit for Doc's system? Here's my theory: It takes a while for Terry to adapt to change. His three lowest scoring averages have been during his first year with the Hawks, this season (First with the Celtics) and his first season with the Dallas Mavericks back in 2004-2005. For good measure, Terry also struggled mightily during his Freshman year at Arizona.

For a fantastic in-depth look at Jason Terry the basketball player and man you should read Jason Terry's Last Shot a seven page article written by Tony Ortega of Terry hometown Seattle Weekly. Often times hometown writers get scoops no one else does. Like this:

Although Boston's season has just begun, already fans are palpably worried. Terry has been brought in to replace ex-Sonic Ray Allen, one of the greatest three-point shooters of all time, who left Boston for the Miami Heat, which defeated the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals last year before winning the NBA championship. Other new additions have made this a different team, even with stars Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Rajon Rondo back for another campaign.

In the team's early games, the squad's chemistry is poor and Terry rarely touches the ball. As Rondo spins and dives into a crowded lane of defenders, he isn't finding an open Terry standing by the three-point line. When this is pointed out to a veteran local sportswriter, he cracks, "Why do you think Ray Allen left?"

Am I missing something or is it possible that Terry has the same concerns about Rondo that Ray did. Ray always accused Rondo of not passing him the ball enough. Us as viewers always thought that accusation was laughable, since Rondo is a pass first point guard and we've seen countless amazing passes from Rondo to Ray.

Has anyone seen anything to make you believe that Terry and Rondo aren't on the same page? My theory is still that Terry's struggles are based on adapting to change and he'll eventually "get it." I mean it's not like Ray Allen all of a sudden is scoring more now that he has been freed from Rondo. He's actually scoring less, though 1 ppg more per 36 mins).

There's the last factor and that's age. Despite how players DESPISE being called old (try it with KG sometime) it's a fact that basketball players aren't the same players at the age of 35 as they were at 27. So it's possible that some of Terry's slippage in his game is age related, though I think that would show up more on the defensive end of the floor.

What are your thoughts? Is Terry going to be fine once he adjusts better to Boston? Is age finally catching up to him? Or is he having some of the same issues with Rondo that frustrated Ray Allen (real or imagined)?

Thanks Keith for sending us the Jason Terry's Last Shot piece. A great read.