Rondo steals the show at informal workouts
For weeks now rookies Fab Melo, Jared Sullinger, and Kris Joseph have been training alongside Dionte Christmas and Jamar Smith, but in the past couple weeks the veterans have started trickling in. With strong chemistry and a conditioning advantage, the newcomers more than held their own against Rajon Rondo, Jason Terry, and Jeff Green. Kris Joseph said this to ESPN Boston when asked to comment:
“You know, ‘dominating’ is a strong word, but we did win a couple series, and then Rondo came back and stole the show, but it’s been great. We’ve been competing at a high level every day, and there’s not a day where I can leave that gym and say I didn’t get better. Every day I get better and that’s the best thing about this place, this organization, is that you’re going to get better every day and there’s no question about it.”
Don’t lie to us Kris Joseph, you can’t play down your presumably spectacular victories and use the word ‘dominating’ in the same sentence. Dionte Christmas even said the young players had been “beating up” on the veterans in those early matchups. And what did Rondo do to steal the show? If I had to guess, I’d bet he joined teammates Courtney Lee and Kris Joseph with a spectacular 360 dunk over Fab Melo. Jokes aside, it’s good to see him continue to see Rondo take a leadership role with this team both on and off the court. Chemistry is sometimes criminally underrated (see the hoopla surrounding the new-look Los Angeles Lakers) and Rondo, Terry, and Green are ensuring that they start building trust early between all the Celtics, old and new, as the offseason crawls to a close.
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Celtics Blog | Jordan Higgs | September 15, 2012
The Celtic’s culture and past legacy just feeds into what these new players are obviously buying into and why I believe this draft group (and Xmas) will pay huge dividends for years going forward. It’s going to be a fun year and banner #18 is well within reach. We are the deepest team in the NBA this coming season by far. Go Cs…
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I would cut Xmas to sign K-Mart. We have too many guards as is. Plus a backup PG is not a position that is scarce throughout the league. They drop all the time in the regular season. My strategy is to wait to see how Wilcox develops as a defender in our system. Bass is a joke to guys like Lebron and Hibbert…you know, guys in our way of a championship?!?! Seriously. Let’s stop acting like Kris Joseph and Jamar Smith will lead us to a championship. Youre losing focus of right now. Cut one of these dudes and bring in K-Mart to bolster our weak front court. Or cut Collins if it’s legal.
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Looks like we should have waited to resign Wilcox from th beginning. If he weren’t signed, I guarantee you K-Mart would be on the team. Better defender, better sense of the floor and better rebounder. Even if he’s 4 years older. And he’s not as injury prone.
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But K-Mart played like crap last year so why do we need someone on the decline (major-ly)? I just don’t think he has it anymore and I’d rather develop our young players. We’ll be fine without K-Mart. Go Cs…
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If were being honest K-Mart’s crap is better than what Wilcox gave us at any point last year. Let’s not also just forge the fact that beside BB and Cw (2 C level players) we have rookies. To give you all some perspective (which I feel is lacking) here’s an example…I can make an argument that Norris Cole and Dexter Pittman are more exciting prospects that Fab Melo and Kris Joseph. All these players have potential. But how much did the former help Miami last year?! Rookies are a cute story, but don’t act like some foriegn-league refugees are gonna help us THIS YEAR. You want to rebuild, then we should have traded Pierce and let KG go. THAT’S rebuilding. Our prospects are no different than last years, and look where they are…LOOKING FOR A JOB. Get over your K-Mart decline argument, which is tired and nauseating. The fact of the matter is that a defensive player who is capable of rebounding and who has experience with pass first PG’s (JKidd) can do nothing but help the worst rebounding team in the NBA.
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I’ll answer the ‘rookie’ comments in depth later, but why isn’t anyone else signing K-Mart, or talking about such???? What does that tell you? Tells me that all the GMs know something about the decline in his skills and what he brings to a team. Apparently, not much or he’d be signed. Go Cs…
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He’s not signed yet. I guarantee he’ll sign somewhere before the opening night. It’s less about his skills and more about his contract desire. To be fair, I see him as a vet’s mini guy. I’d love to have him, but not overpriced.
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I hope we pass and not even give him a thought. As far as the ‘rookie’ issue, I think our draft was far better than the actual draft numbers attached to each player. I’ve been a SU fan forever…before the Stevie Thompson days…and KJ is an awesome talent that I swear will be pushing JG by mid-season. Fab is a project, but he has smarts, can defend, can rebound (wasn’t needed at SU as everyone hit the boards there…unlike the Cs strategy) and is going to surprise people. Sullinger was a steal at #21. It’s not about “rebuilding” but we scored in this draft and all three players, plus Xmas, are extremely talented young players that can be Cs for the next decade and produce at high levels given experience and the changing nature of the team. Go Cs…
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Listen I’m sure Joseph can be a role player in the future, but I 1000 % disagree that Jeff Green will be pushed by him. Maybe in practice but Green’s spot is all but ensured. Jeff Green is at least 3x better than Kris Joseph. You sound like your thinking more with your heart than your brain. SU basketball is not NBA basketball. These rooks arent good enough to the point that we can put the kind of expectations on them that youre suggesting. Its really that simple.We won’t see enough of Fab Melo this year to remember his jersey number. And Sullinger had better produce from jump street because if he doesn’t, then this draft was a complete bust in terms of short-term goals. Oh and since you want to go situational about K-Mart, why is it that an “awesome” talent like Joseph fell all the way to the mid 50′s in the second round?! The way you describe him, he should be top ten, easily better than Harrison Barnes!
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Easy Greg, you’re going to blow a gasket and we’re not even in camp. Let’s just see what happens. Green hasn’t really impressed anyone and it’s a fact he has UNDERACHIEVED as a Celtic. KJ has more talent and will show it. So he dropped to #50. SU plays a team game and I’d have taken KJ over Waiters who went 4th. I make my opinions based on watching games and I’ve watched at least 40+ games of Joseph’s and he has always delivered and has improved over his seasons at SU. SU is not the pros but who would have though RR would be the top PG in the league based on his KY days, or AB being a top defender based on his Texas days? Calm down and let’s see what happens. I think you’ll be coming around to my thinking as the season progresses. If I am wrong then I’ll say so. K-Mart is not a team player and that’s another reason I don’t want him. Go Cs…
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