Video: Rajon Rondo consecutive alley oops to JaJuan Johnson, Chris Wilcox
But fo’ real doe, you shoulda seen what Jermaine O’Neal woulda done with those alley oops.
Seriously, LOVED the effort from Chris Wilcox and JaJuan Johnson yesterday. They didn’t just win with effort and boyish exuberance. They won with effort and boyish exuberance against a Chicago front court known for out-working its foes.
“Obviously, we’re not playing with our MVP, but there’s definitely enough in this room to win a game like tonight. But I feel like today, we got out-competed,” Joakim Noah said after losing to Boston 95-91.
Playing without O’Neal and Brandon Bass, two of their three most important big men, the Celtics out-rebounded Chicago 44-42, blocked nine shots compared to Chicago’s two and managed to score 33 fast break points compared to Chicago’s seven, largely because Wilcox and Johnson (and everyone else) ran their lanes and made everything easier for Rajon Rondo. The Celtics are not an athletic team, but when Wilcox and Johnson sponge up minutes, they have two gazelles who A) can beat people down the court, and B) try like hell to beat people down the court, which is probably more important. Wilcox has heard the booming voice giving him advice from the TD Garden rafters: “If you run, Rondo will find you.”
I’m undecided whether I believe Wilcox should start in O’Neal’s place even when O’Neal’s healthy. But Doc Rivers has to give it some thought. Wilcox and Johnson aren’t perfect defensively and still do some not-so-great things on offense, but they provide an extra angle of attack to a Boston team which desperately needs track stars to run alongside Rondo.
(h/t on video: @MrTrpleDouble10)
Related posts:
Celtics Blog | Jay King | February 13, 2012
Those were awesome and show how dangerous this team can be when the win the rebounding and get out and run. JJ and Wilcox were definite energy sources and really played well. I hope we see more of that but will Doc allow it and that worries me. Go Cs…
Like or Dislike:
2 
0
Well if you think about it, Doc was the main person encouraging them to run and get on the fast break. That’s a very positive sign.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
But even when Doc gets it right, he has a hard time sticking to it. How many times has he called for Rondo to play aggressively enough to get a lot of freethrows? A day later he seems to forget he said it. And it’s like that with a lot of things.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
As important as the transition game is, let’s not get lost in the idea that running is the only way Rondo can excel and lead this team. Our half court offense also needs his energy, passing, ability to attack and his talent for improvisation. We need the same energy in the half court that we had on the break yesterday. I’m also very intrigued by something we’ve seen a little of recently, perhaps almost accidentally: Rondo and Paul running something like a double point in the half court.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
That works, but they need PP and KG to move in the half-court (like RA is always doing) as when they stand still everything stagnates and nothing gets accomplished execpt a lame clock beating jumper with no offensive rebounding as they’re all flat-footed. Having BB and JJ able to hits ‘elbow’ jumpers helps too. Go Cs…
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Yes I agree with Paul our halfcourt offense is still our meal ticket. But I like the dynamic that JJJ and CW give this team. BB can run the floor too. James you’re right, PP has made a living on those kinds of plays throughout his career, but now he needs to show more confidence in BB, JJ, CW, and even RA to start taking critical shots down the stretch. PP isn’t a player who’s obssessed with personal numbers so I don’t really think that’s gonna be a problem.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Well, I want to see Rajon taking more of the crunch time shots. I know I repeat myself, but I do that for points that I think are key. Synergy. Energy. You need your best player to step up in crunch time. It doesn’t mean PP step down. But here again the issue is balance. Rondo needs to stop deferring in crunch time.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I agree – they need to keep moving, and they often don’t want to. It’s not just about Rondo. Doc needs to keep the bench guys feeding in and out, so when the older guys and Rondo are in there, they can play harder.
And yes, we must start hitting the offensive glass more. Restricting ourselves to one shot just doesn’t work anymore, and our team’s personnel is more and more suited to an energy game, as opposed to a precision game.
It’s not a matter of turning the spigot all the way from precision to energy. It’s a matter of changing the balance.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Out rebounding Chicago with two of our big men out? Yeah, I’ll take that ANYDAY. If we can do that consistently, watch out Miami!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
It’s the energy game. And for that we need the bench involved.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0