Here are some of the comments our readers directed at Rajon Rondo following his lifeless, 5 point (2-10 FG), 7 assist, 5 turnover performance last night vs Toronto:
Alex: I'm telling you right now… Rondo is the weakest link. That kid is painful to watch. His lack of effort surprises me and you would think he'd have a chip on his shoulder for not making the All-Star team. I want to see more of Moore and Bradley. I'm done with Rondo.
Classless: This is a game we'll point to once Rondo is traded. He's Antoine-esque
James: Notice the sound of the crickets chirping from all the "Rondo is the best player on our team" crowd. A truly Rondo-esque performance. No energy. He's even an awful zone defense player. But man-on-man, he couldn't stick a fork in that killer of killer point guards, Jose "Are you effing kidding me" Calderon. His comatose ball movement. His failure to close on his drives. I could go on but the rest of the team matched in his awfulness so well that it was all a VERY bad nightmare. What an embarrassing game.
Ouch. Why all the venom?
I think it's because we've set the bar high for Rondo and he's not measuring up. His statistics are a mixed bag.
The positives:
- 9.6 assists per game (2nd best in the league)
- 13.1 ppg (2nd highest ppg average of his career)
- 49% FG
The negatives:
- 1.6 spg ranks 15th in the league, 2nd lowest steals rate of his career
- 3.8 turnover per game is a career high
- 59.5 % FT
Consistency is a big problem with this kid. Fans wonder why doesn't he attack the basket more frequently? Why doesn't he play aggressive, energetic defense like Avery Bradley? (Before you rip his defense, check out this post from a few weeks ago.) How come we don't see an improvement with the free throw shooting? All legitimate questions.
The Celtics went 6-2 while Rondo was sidelined with a wrist injury. They are 3-2 since his return. Did we get a dose of life w/o Rondo and think it might not be that bad?
I've never considered Rondo "untouchable." He's an enigmatic talent with flaws. But the scathing criticism of his game is a bit dramatic.
(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
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