Rondo: “I haven’t been playing well. Aches and pains. And we had the trade with Perk.”
Jackie MacMullan got Rajon Rondo to open up about his recent pain — both physical and emotional. (ESPN)
“It’s a mix and match of things,” he said slowly. “I haven’t been playing well. Aches and pains. And we had the trade with Perk [Kendrick Perkins].
“He’s a guy I spent a lot of time with. I’m not saying that’s why I’m playing bad. You just appreciate somebody more when they’re gone.
“We were best friends. We’re talking more now than we did when he was here. It’s been tough. I know other guys have been through it, but I haven’t.
“We went through everything together, right from the beginning. I missed the USA basketball camp so I could be at his wedding.
“When we were on the road, there was never any question we’d be hanging out together. It was ‘What are we going to do tonight?’ or ‘Let’s go here and there.’ So now it’s a little different.
“I’m not saying I’m no lost puppy. He didn’t die or anything. But he’s a good person.”
Generally, MacMullan paints a sunny picture about Rondo’s injury issues. She’s a Hall of Fame sports writer, and deservedly so, so maybe I should give her the benefit of the doubt. But he hasn’t visibly progressed at all. Even last night, when Rondo (finally) made a few shots, he scored only nine points, notched only five assists, and the Celtics played better when Delonte West was in the game. Plus, he was forced to the bench after re-aggravating and losing all feeling in his injured pinkie finger.
Yet MacMullan sounds confident in Rondo’s health, and cheery in her outlook.
Perk isn’t coming back — but Rondo is. His shot is on the mend. The feeling is back in his hand. He’s convinced he is almost on the other side of one of those dark periods that every NBA veteran encounters in his career, when nothing seems to go right.
“I think it’s been good for him,” Rivers said, “to go through those struggles.”
Rondo logged but 28 minutes against New Orleans and his nemesis Chris Paul, who experienced his own share of angst in this game.
Making shots for Rondo was “a relief.” Winning the game was “a step forward.” He admitted to frustration, but never any doubt during this slump.
“No doubt at all,” Rondo said. “I’ve got too many people behind me for that. I don’t know what’s been said. I haven’t read the papers, watched the TV or any of that. I don’t need to hear it.
“No one has to tell me what to do. I’m pretty good at doing that on my own.”
I wish I could take their word for it, but I’d like Rondo to have at least one good game first.
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Celtics Blog | Jay King | March 20, 2011
In the end Rondo will be all right.He still has quickness and lateral movement.He’s hesitant to rebound the ball because of his hand issues.But that will heal over time.
I’m more concerned about Kristic.This guy does not know how to defend.He sort of just flails his arms around at his opponent and hopes for the best.He rarely sets picks,avoids contact and rarely boxes out.
He’s not aggressive offensively.He can’t post anybody up,even though he has the skills to do it.The first five games he did well,because Rondo was giving him looks.As soon as Rondo started playing like crap,he started playing like crap.
For better or worse he can’t function unless someone feeds him the ball,otherwise he’s lost.
Rondo needs to feed Kristic in the beginnings of ball games to give him confidence and open up the floor for Ray and Pierce.Kristic has the skills,he just needs to be fed otherwise he will starve.
Are interior defense is going to suffer until the O’neals return and KG can’t do it all by himself.If he can’t score,then he should be setting picks for screen and rolls and rebound the damn ball.
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“I think it’s been good for him,” Rivers said, “to go through those struggles”. Now there’s the exact kind of stupid statement from Doc that I feel makes him less than a ‘great’ coach. Doc, it’s a ‘team’ game and the team has been suffering because you will not give RR the rest he needs. He could go through the same things, learn the same things, and be frustrtated while sitting on the bench. Maybe the healthy PGs, CA/DW/AB, could have helped us not lose some of these games that should have been victories. The guy is just so aaarrrggghhh and irratating with some of the statements he makes. Give RR some rest. P.S. Shaq will fortify the center and Krstic will be a very nice back-up or spot player. At least he’s out there busting his butt and hustling to rebound and give everything he can. Go Cs…
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James STFU.. your shtick is getting old man.. are you seriously calling Doc stupid?? he knows the feeling after all he’s been an NBA point guard have you???? plus him and rondo have a deep understanding.. you people need to decide what y’all want one minute it’s play hard and get the number 1 seed next minute its rest rondo well rondo’s presence is essential to the offense running smoothly.. if you think you can do better go apply for the job & STFU!!!!!
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Every one suffers if Rondo is not handing out the assists, not just Kristic. It is not like all the assists were going to him. Look at Pierce’s and Garnetts’s numbers–let’s not pick on Kristic just because he is an easy target. I am sure that Doc meant RR would come out stronger after dealing with adversity.–Isn’t that the way it is suppose to work? Hey the Shagster is looking pretty buff in the picture that ran in the Herald:
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view/2011_0319shaq_on_road_to_return/
Hope it wasn’t photoshopped!
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UhOh!! …thanks for reading my post correctly…not. I said his statement was stupid. What’s the “deep understanding”? Play injured and let the team lose games to sub .500 teams they should be beating; thereby hurting the seeding chances when perfectly healthy and experienced former starting PGs are available? Play anyhow and by going 8 games with 3 FTs and less than dbl. digit assists is helping the team how? Play injured so when the injury gets worse the team’s playoff chances are severely diminished? RR’s presence was not needed last night to run the offense “smoothly” (which it hasn’t under his last dozen games) as DW was the PG that got the team rolling the right way. What kind of dumb hoops fan are you Uh Oh? And I don’t need NBA credentials to understand how the game is played, so if you don’t like my posts don’t read-’em or comment on them. Go Cs…
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so im guessing you’re close to the organization and know inside information we dont right james?? i go by how seriously the Cs have taken injuries this season they haven’t hesitated to sit guys for extended periods of times and rondo and Doc are practically connected at the hip so if ANYONE knows what he’s going trough its Doc and absolutely no1 is 100% at this point in the season.. if the Cs sit a guy just because they’re slumping ray KG & paul would have been sitting a whole lot of times im DUMB enough to trust the guys in charge not play arm chair GM/coach
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I guess you missed KG saying RR was injured and then him admitting he’s injured? We rest everyone else injured, why not RR? His play sucks right now and is costing wins. But you want him out there? To prove what? That’s he’s tough? And PP/KG/RA should also sit a few games if needed. Of course players get injured and play at 75-80% but RR is not even at 50% and is hurting the team. And when did having an opinion make me an armchair GM/coach? I’m a dedicated fan and if I lived in Boston and was paying for season tickets I’d really be pissed off. Losses happen but handing them to sub .500 teams because of players’ ‘pride’ is stupid. And certainly, that strategy by Doc, has us now even with Chigago doesn’t it??? I think it’s time to try something new, like resting RR a game or a few. Go Cs…
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Uh oh… I agree with James. I’d rather be a two or three seed than see Rondo play like crap in the playoffs. Even if we rest him we still may be able to be a one. Just have to take It more seriously. He should rest For a little bit with the ray and pierce. Anyone else notice Pierce playing just as bad as Rondo?? Hes injured or something because be is playing like terribly the last few games.
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so i guess you missed the part where KG said NO ONE is a 100 percent everyone’s calling for arroyo but we’ve only seen a small sample delonte said himself he wont be 100% this year he CANT ROTATE HIS WRIST and still has ankle soreness increasing his minutes is putting him at more risk of being injured(he’s a injury waiting to happen) and rondo said it himself its not just the injury he’s missing his buddy and whatnot.. yes we’ve sat rondo and were somewhat effective but the offense was also painfully stagnant for long stretches now lets say we sit rondo and the offense goes into stagnant mode couple that with the defensive breakdowns we’ve seen recently because the new guys arent fully acclimated yet that’s a recipe for disaster
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Nick…. i dont think james is trying to say rest guys and forget the number 1 seed.. the seeding doesn’t concern me i wish they would rest pierce and company but they seem obsessed with the number 1 seed.. all im saying is if Rondo’s injury was THAT severe he wouldnt be on the floor
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While I would prefer the #1 seed, I think giving RR a game off just to see what happens isn’t going to make or break the season even if we lost (can’t be worse than recent lame losses). Same for PP as his game is suffering but not as bad as RR’s. It seems RR’s injury is that serious because we’re losing games with him being the most ineffective of his career. It’s so obvious. I just would like to see Doc experiment because we still have 15 games or so and one game vs Chicago and Shaq may return sooner than later and the rest will likely help those needing it but also hopefully eliminate the uninspired play (although they finally got inspired last night). Go Cs…
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I’m just glad you guys aren’t on the team… you guys panic way to much… Yesterday’s game showed who we are.. a Great team! We have been struggling and were down 15 at New Orleans and pulled out a win. Only a championship caliber team does that. Miami would have collapsed at that point.
Everyone relax, let’s get healthy and start to jell during the first round of the playoffs. Then we will be fine
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Frank.. To get healthy we need to rest the big 4.
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Frank… You think yesterday’s effort by Rondo was suitable to earn the top seed? It was DW that led the comeback. Here are RR’s stats -
29 4-8 0-0 1-2 0 1 1 5 1 0 0 2 -12 9
5 assists and you’re happy and we’re panicking? First 2 FTs in 7 games? Single digit assists for the last 10+ games? Not his usual averages compared to earlier this season. Far, far worse.
What yesterday’s game showed is the the bench (39 pts/10 rebs on 17-23 shooting) and especially Davis brought LIFE to the core 4 who were stinking things up and getting killed. You better look at the box score again because PP was 1-9, 0-4 3s and had only 9 pts and he was also -12 in the +/- stat that Jay loves so much. It’s not panic to say RR needs rest. And so does PP and anyone else playing like crap night after night after night. One bad game fine. A dozen (RR) then something’s wrong. Go Cs…
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Seeing that am the voice of reason here (just like Rondo gave himself title of the best point guard in the league) I have to say rest Rondo out minimum of 2-3 games and leave PG duties to Delonte and Arroyo. I love Rondo but at the rate things are going, we will pay in the playoffs if he doesn’t get the rest he needs now and that is assuming he comes out of the Perk-Trade-Depression by then..As much as RR has injuries it seems to me his main problems are actually emotional not physical..He looks troubled and upset minded not exactly too physically hurt… Let the guy stay home a litlle and get a homely TOUCH DOWN then we’ll see a revived Rondo..No rest, no touch down = crappy play from Rondo… Hear that Doc?
Oh and yes Doc is stupid..
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