16 shots with Rondo, a look at his game two performance (with videos)
Incredible doesn’t justify the game that Rajon Rondo played Wednesday night in Miami for the second game of the Eastern Conference Finals. Rajon will be the first to down play the game because winning matters most, "We lost," Rondo said. "Simple as that."
Celtic fans and Rondo critics alike have written off the young point guard for his shooting woes. In fact, what his real issues over the past couple of years have been within 9 feet of the basket where he has shot under 30% the past two seasons when previously having percentages over 50.
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This article isn’t about the issues and debates on his shooting but to admire the work he did that night in Miami. Instead, we will run through some of the plays of his gem and show you exactly how locked in Rajon was in this game. This first play would have had massive criticism if he missed the shot. As mentioned above, his shooting from that range is pretty good lately. Even if he misses this shot, I have no problem with the selection because Kevin Garnett had position for a rebound.
This next play really highlights the Miami Heat’s early plan in this game. They were focusing in on Paul Pierce, as he set the screen rather poorly, it worked effectively because Mario Chalmers switched onto Pierce and Lebron James stayed with Paul Pierce, allowing Rajon Rondo to take a wide open jump shot.
Jumping back onto Rondo’s inside game, he got blocked in game one on his signature move. One thing I don’t get is why people are so shocked. Lebron blocks Rajon Rondo every postseason series they play. It always effects his decision making because he second-guesses himself on going to the basket against Lebron. Below we see Rajon Rondo use the rim to protect his attempt and it earned him an easy two.
And again we catch the Miami Heat focusing on Paul Pierce with Shane Battier on the outside while Dwyane Wade fell back on the Pietrus screen to shield Pierce from the basket. By the time Wade got out to Rondo it was too late. All of this created an easy 12 foot jump shot for Rajon and he nailed it again. Twitter went insane at this moment.
Dwyane Wade has not left the paint in most of these plays, over exaggerating how poorly Rondo’s shot “is”. Dwyane makes no attempt to disrupt Rondo and as Jeff Van Gundy said, these shots are like practice time for Rajon.
Just straight up more disrespecting on Rajon Rondo’s mid range shooting. Really it is more like not doing their homework on Rajon and just believing the myth that it is becoming. Here we have Chalmers more worried about being beat to the basket by Rondo opposed to contesting his shot (sorry Jeff Van Gundy, I disagree with you here).
Now we see a little more aggressive Rajon because he is bored making every jump shot in the book. This time he decides to challenge the young guard’s defensive ability. Mario back peddled his way into the restricted area as Rondo drew the contact and the basket, unfortunately the whistle never came.
Miami Heat’s coach Erik Spoelstra came out and said they tried everything to stop Rajon Rondo. What he meant to say was we decided to leave him open while he got hot and now we are playing him tight with centers jumping out to contest his shots. Rondo doesn’t take the shot this time. Instead he attacks the basket.
Now he is just playing mind games on Mario Chalmers. First he shoots it over him, then he drives on him and again back to the wide open 15 foot jump shot. Rondo is stretching his range because he is getting comfortable and there wasn’t a single thing Mario Chalmers could have done to stop him this game.
This next basket was by far my favorite one. He recognized the gaping hole in the paint and the fact Mike Miller has just been switched on him. You could argue he could have drilled an open jump shot but that doesn’t force Mike Miller to make a basketball move, a defensive one actually. Attacking the basket right there was the best decision during that moment.
Well that play was awesome by Rondo and it was my favorite play until this one because I enjoy a solid defensive effort. This is why I am doing this on the Boston Celtics star. Getting consecutive easy lay ups really helps your confidence.
This was a beautiful play by the Celtics. Although Rondo was basically on fire jumping twice as high as the basketball hoop while throwing fire balls through the net scoring it to a crisp, the Miami Heat still doubled down on a struggling Pierce in this game. Paul read the play beautifully, while Garnett drew attention to the middle, and creating an open jump shot.
Lebron over played the pass giving Rajon an open lane to the basket where he is able to do what he does best when he is doing it best. He doesn’t always do his best. See what making a few shots can do for your spacing offensively. They will not bite more on your up fakes and head nods while you blow by the defender, if you have Rondo type speed that is.
Rondo is a show man, he likes to entertain the little kids and what better way than to end your night with a barrage of three points to continue to give what little hope Celtics fans have in this series. Rondo played a helluva game but none of that matters to him. Winning is all that matters. One day Rajon will appreciate this game but right now, we will do it for him.
