Despite what Coach K says about sitting Rajon Rondo to get a good look at some of the younger guys who might not make the final Team USA roster… Rajon doesn't think his spot is very secure.
"I think I'm on the bubble," Rondo said Tuesday. "Just looking at the obvious — I got a DNP last game. That pretty much speaks for itself."
And Coach K isn't exactly backing up his previous words, either.
"It's not so much what Rajon has to show, it's what our team needs. We've found a good lineup, and the international game is so different from the NBA game, you can ask any of these guys," Krzyzewski said. "Part of it is to make sure that we try not to have two non-shooters out on the court, and there's the physicality, too.
"Derrick right now being with Chauncey is a good [combination], and Stephen, he provides a different thing, because if they are going under [screens] and they keep going under on him, then he has a 3. So it forces another team to change the way they defend our team. So it's things like that, and how we feel strategy-wise what'll be best for the team."
Later on in the piece, Rondo takes it all in stride as doing "what's best for the country"… but there hasn't been a single indication prior to the Spain game that Rondo is in any kind of trouble. Team USA will bring Rondo off the bench (or at least start him there) again tomorrow at noon against Greece. If that's ANOTHER DNP, then we've got issues. There's precious little time for continuity and chemistry to be built. If they're really intent on Rajon Rondo being their guy… then he's got to play.
I do think he's lost his starting job right now… but I still think he's safe as far as being a member of this team.
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