I'm wondering if there is some LeBron James' mom/Delonte West thing going on with Rondo that set him off....I suspect JJ Barea.
If you saw the post game on TNT you heard Barkley say he wouldn't play Rondo anymore [if he were coach]. Then he and Kenny Smith got into a spirited debate about Rondo. Smith maintained that they need Rondo to win this series. O'Neal sided with Smith. I don't know if Rondo could be the difference or not. The game was close for 3½ quarters and Rondo didn't play a lot of the second half. I think if the Rockets can score in the paint like they did in the 4th quarter and Howard doesn't get into foul trouble, Rondo isn't part of that equation. If memory serves me, Vernon Maxwell disappeared in the second playoff run and the Rockets still won.
The Mavs went small often with one big guy (Dirk often) and Marquis Daniels, Josh Howard, Jerry Stackhouse and Michael Finley at the forward spots. The trouble was that the Rockets couldn't matchup with the Dallas "smalls" because our option for going small were the likes of David Wesley and Jon Barry and Mike James. The Rockets don't have the same issue right now. Barea and even Felton might be too quick for Terry and Prigioni-- like basically all opposing PGs are-- but I don't think they can consistently kill the Rockets. The Rockets have wing defenders that they can switch onto the likes of Barea and Felton and have Dwight back there to protect the rim. Barea had some success getting to the basket, but Dwight was mostly able to alter his shots on these drives to make them low% floaters.
This is because of Shaq's high density factor of not understanding Chuck's point about Rondo. I was about to scream. Another thing: When one of them mentioned Rondo's +/- for two games was -36, Shaq completely ignored it. Shaq is so slow sometimes it blows my mind.
Not the same at all. Rockets won without Maxwell because they didn't need him anymore after trading for Clyde. Max understood that when the trade was made which is why he quit on the team. Without Rondo, Mavs are stuck with Barea playing heavy minutes backed up by Felton (and maybe Harris).
.... that's just silly. Rondo is 10 times the pg Lin will ever be/ever was. To call him a downgrade? just silly, man Check yoself
One is turnover prone, high risk, high reward, and makes dumb decisions down the stretch. Can you tell which one I'm talking about? Lin is a less successful Rondo. Lin could be as good as Rondo, and Rondo can hurt a team as much as Lin does.
Look rondo knows his team sux and are going to lose the series. It just came all at him at once and realized there wasn't $**** he could do about. I know it's unprofessional of him, but who cares it's the mavePrix we are talking about..
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>LOL <a href="http://t.co/oPZ5kzbtUi">pic.twitter.com/oPZ5kzbtUi</a></p>— Taco Trey Kerby (@treykerby) <a href="https://twitter.com/treykerby/status/590912022205886466">April 22, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
They are different players. Rondo can't shoot as well as Lin but he's a much better passer. On defense there is no comparison. Lin is a bottom of the barrel PG on defense. However--I think Rondo can hurt a team more than Lin because people still have expectations of him. He's obviously killing the Mavericks now. I'm sure someone will still sign him to a $12 million deal.
I'll giving you the defense argument definitely. I think if Lin played in a system where defense was key he could learn some D. I think Rondo's passing ability comes from the fact that coaches have let him run the show, while with Lin coaches have always been tentative at best. If Lin was given the ability to run the show unhindered I think he could be at Rondo's level eventually. Both are high risk high reward players, both are great, but both can sink your team if they aren't used correctly.
I still believe in Rondo. He was just put in a bad position with Dallas. Just doesn't fit. Ellis and Dirk need the ball in their hands to be a threat. In Boston he could orchestrate the offense and set every one up. Not here. Also in Boston, they played bully ball. They tried to get in your head by playing physical. Well it didn't work with Harden and nobody on his team really has his back. That open three from Terry after the 8 second violation wasn't really his fault. He tried to get back on Harden but the Rockets ran to take the ball out. The entire Mavericks team wasn't ready, not just Rondo.
I also think Morey could go after him. I mean, we have no point guard and we all know McHale allows his players to be free. Rondo would be free to do what he wants and I think he's good at controlling the offense. Three point shooting? What player hasn't increased their three point shooting since coming here?
