Rondo blames himself for losses

Boasting a 4-11 record is, well, nothing to boast about. With every position under scrutiny- along with his leadership and future as a member of the Celtics- Rajon Rondo was quick to shoulder the blame for Boston’s losses.

As every game eventually does, it comes down to the 4th quarter. Boston has had trouble closing out games for the past few seasons; at the end of the Big 3 era, age was the go to culprit. Now with a team full of youthful exuberance and young legs, inexperience seems to be the leading cause of blown leads and late game losses. If the problem were only that easy to pinpoint.

To quote ESPN’s Chris Forsberg:

“Boston is now 2-6 in games that are within one possession (+/- 3 points) in the final minute and 2-7 in "clutch" games (+/- 5 points in final 5 minutes). The Celtics' fourth-quarter stat lines are a horror show.”

Ugh.

Horror show might be a little harsh compared to the nightmare that is the NBA Eastern Conference, but it is not far off. The team is obviously talented. Sullinger’s development continues to impress. Jeff Green has looked awesome. Rondo looks as good as he ever has and posted a double-double last night in assists and rebounds; the 6th of his career. No other point guard has more than one. Zeller is emerging. Thornton, Bass, and Turner are providing energy and points off the bench. There’s a lot of high spots to point to, but it is not translating into W’s in close game situations.

It’s a real “captain” move for Rondo to take the blame, but it’s not entirely his fault. Eventually the Brad Stevens Celtics will figure it out. Who is still around when they do remains to be seen.

Photo Source: Complex

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