Celtics Central

Anyone… raise your hand if you thought Devin Harris would average 24 points a game this season.

Me neither.

This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Nets. The New Jersey Nets brought in a lot of solid young talent, especially in the bigs department.

But I thought it was going to be a long year of teaching for the team. I’m apparently quite wrong.

For all of his experience, frank-ly…. Lawrence is good. The second youngest coach in the league to neophyte Erik Spoelstra, is also a veteran coach at this point.

Frank took over in 2003-4, the year of the Byron Scott ousting, and led them to a 25-15 finish. His Net teams played at least .500 ball and went to the play-offs the next 4 straight years. After missing last year, Frank has a new roster of mixed experience players on track much earlier than most pundits expected, including me.

Some even thought that Frank was part of the problem with New Jersey’s decline. Honestly, I wasn’t sure. I knew him to be a pretty good coach in the past. That doesn’t mean there isn’t a time when even pretty good coaches might need to move on.

In any event, I thought this year would be all about teaching and very little winning. It seems that it didn’t take long for coach Frank to separate the chaff from the wheat and get the New Age Nets in gear.

Wheat – Brook Lopez. Wheat - Josh Boone. Chaff -Sean Williams.

An athletic shot blocker who apparently does not show the necessary tools for improvement, Sean had this to say in Fred Kerber’s New York Post article…

Until Josh Boone (ankle) plays, Stromile Swift is the backup center, knocking Sean Williams out. “Obviously, I’m not one of the young players they want to develop,” Williams said . . .

Another big in trade play? Time for Celtic internet rumors machine to get oiled up? I don’t think so. Too raw, I would say. He is a ‘live’ big, listed as 6′ 10″. He plays tall and blocks shots to justify his existence in the NBA. In a situation like that, why would the Celtics want him if he can’t make the grade in New Jersey? Does the discipline of the Power of Three create a successful environment for Sean? All that would be requested of him here is fundamental defense with his length. Hmm….Just asking.

The emergence of Devin Harris into a top flight NBA scorer was beyond my concept of reality. I viewed Devin Harris as an adequate scorer but nothing more. He was an open court slasher, disher, and could defend, but wasn’t going to be a consistent 24 point scorer. Wrong.

Devin is 10 points (24.4 per game) over his best previous season. Only Caron Butler in recent memory comes to mind for elevating his game so much so late in his career. I’m sure there are others, but it is rare.

Would that have happened in Dallas? Mmm….It could have…. but never would, in my opinion. It is interesting how differently see each team sees its own personnel.

The early development of Brook Lopez, the number 10 pick this past draft, has been a pleasant surprise. Nineteen games into his pro career, he is close to being a double double machine already. And the kid can block shots.

I’ve usually been on the “Lawrence Frank is a very good coach” side of things. But I was worried about the attitude and the unmotivated game of team star Vince Carter in what was to be a rebuilding year after dumping Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson last season.

I’ve also thought that Net President Rod Thorn is one of the better league executives. Net GM Kiki Wandeweghe built his reputation in turning around a poor Denver operation.

One curious point of reference between the these two people is that Rod Thorn traded Kenyon Martin to Kiki’s Nuggets in a sign-and-trade after Rod decided he couldn’t afford to keep him at the money he was seeking and continue to sign quality players around him.

I felt Kenyon wasn’t worth his asking price then and still do. Thorn was right to trade him, though he incurred a lot of criticism from fans and possibly even some players (Mourning?) for pulling the trigger on that move.

My point is that Kiki was on the receiving end of that ‘pass.’ Now he and Thorn are the architects of the “No Kidds Allowed”, Net Modern Age. Hey, no executive is perfect.

Even the 5th face on Mount Rushmore, wunderkind Danny Ainge has had his moments of sheer uninspiration. Raef Lefrenz, Dan Dickau, or Tom Gugliotta anyone?

Anyway, the Nets are currently 11-8, 7-3 over their last ten games, and in second place in the Atlantic Division.

Harris and Carter do the driving (in both respects) and they have Yi Jianlian, Bobby Simmons, and Ryan Anderson keeping things honest from long range. It is a simple plan that usually works when players are willing to do the other things that help a team win and you have two tough pointmakers in the top ten in scoring.

The Nets are the foulingest team in the league versus their opponents (+3.6 – a whole point higher than the #2 team) and need work defensively, coming in 25th in the league at 102 points allowed per game.

They are in a three way tie for the 5th seed in the play-offs, ahead of regrouping Toronto and Philadelphia. Who would have thunk it?

Apparently Lawrence Frank would. In a league full of relative high predictability from year to year, that’s why you play the games. The Nets are playing indeed.

The Celtics gutted out a very tough win in now difficult Conseco Fieldhouse against the Jim O’Brien coached Pacers.

Ray Allen shot the Celtics to a hard fought overtime victory in Indiana with 35 points, including 7 of the Celtics’ 17 in overtime. Ray has been locked in for missile launch for six of the last eight games, hitting 7 of 12 from the arc tonight.

Kevin Garnett grabbed 20 rebounds to go with 5 steals and 17 points, including 4 in overtime.

Paul Pierce was quiet for most of the game, but came on near the end of regulation. He missed a big jump shot with 22 seconds left but nailed a game tying three pointer with 7 seconds left, sending the game into OT after Jarrette missed two shots before time expired.

Pierce hit two big free throws to cement the win and finished with 17 points and 8 assists.

Ray’s torrid shooting began 9 games ago and he is shooting 57% from the field during that stretch.

The Pacers are trying to become the giant killers, having beaten both Boston and LA in Indiana and almost did it twice to the now 20-2 Green Machine.

Marquis Daniels led the Pacers with 26 points and was supported by Danny Granger with 20 points, 6 assists, 3 steals, including a big one on Paul Pierce, and 2 blocks.

Credit must be given to Larry Bird, Jim O’Brien and the current roster of Pacers for playing inspired ball against much better teams, while generally working to have more unselfish and community minded players that fans can respond to.

Rajon Rondo had an interesting stat line with 7 points, including a big lay-up in OT, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 6 turnovers and 4 steals.

Kendrick Perkins missed two big free throws with 22 seconds left in regulation that would have tied the game. But he redeemed himself by hitting two of two in overtime. He finished with 11 points and 7 rebounds.

Eddie House played well in reserve with 15 points on 5 of 8 shooting including 3 of 5 from the three point arc.

This was a highly competitive game with multiple ties and lead changes. Neither team could get control of, though Boston led much of the way.

If the Celtics beat the Wizards in Washington on Thursday, it be the best start in franchise history. No Celtic team has begun the year at 21-2.

Doc had just put the starters back in. Outlaw hits a jumper from the top of the key. A 25 point lead is now 11 at 80-69.

Perkins heads down court to the right side of the box and Rondo shoots Kendrick a pass before Greg Oden reacts. Oden moves to Perkins on the inside right side of the paint as Perkins flips a pass right around Oden’s torso to KG as he moves in from the left…. Garnett dunk.

Jerryd Bayless hits two free throws to close within 11 again. The Cs head down court. Perkins goes to the top left of the key as Oden and three other Blazers start to form a defensive line at about the same spot across the foul line.

Rondo is coming across and Perkins sees the opening at his sweet spot on the right block and heads right to it. Rondo reads his mind. Bounce pass. Perkins dunk. Oden spectates as he reads it all much too late. That put Perkins at ten points and the Celts were on their way to putting out the Blazer fire.

Next Celtic trip down, Ray Allen misses a three and Perkins gets the long rebound behind Greg Oden. Offense reset. Rondo goes in with the ball fake move and just misses the lay-up. Portland rebounds.

All Fouled Up
Oden rebounds an errant three by Fernandez and Perkins is right there. Oden tries to create space with a long arm push away as he shoots. Offensive foul. Foul number six. School bell rings. Greg puts his pencils in his desk and books in his locker. The day is over for Greg.

One day soon the English language might be getting a new verb – Odenized. And Greg Oden will be teaching. But today’s grammar lesson was provided by Kendrick Perkins. Greg learned the definition of words like – rookie, experience, physical, position, and toughness.

Kendrick Perkins had just ‘double dozened’ and gave an on court education to the league’s Next Big Thing…Greg Oden.

The line score read:
12 points on 2 of 4 shooting, 8 of 12 from the free throw line, 12 rebounds (7 offensive), 2 assists, 5 turnovers, and 4 personal fouls.

The only thing missing were a few blocks, a Perkins staple. And maybe another technical, something else that is a little too common for Kendrick this season.

But Perkins showed young Mr. Oden what physical looks like. Greg had a frustrating school day and went to detention early with 6 fouls. He finished with 5 points and 6 rebounds in 19 minutes.

He’s experiencing what Kendrick went through for years, and that’s the school of hard knocks. Kendrick still has difficulty staying out of foul trouble on many nights. But he rose to the occasion of playing the number one pick of the 2007 draft.

Portland’s Channing Frye on Kendrick Perkins…

He does great for them. He’s always in the right spot. I think he’s comfortable. He’s confident.

90% of basketball is confidence. If I stand here and I catch the ball, I’m going to do the same move I’ve been practicing for almost 5 years, you have nothing to worry about. So he just does that. KG and those guys do a great job of hyping him up and giving him confidence.

Especially when he has to go against two big guys like we have. He’s a good player and he’s still young and learning so he’s got a good career ahead of him.

Pretty fair assessment I think.

The team has a chance to move from the Big Three to the Fantastic Five in just a year plus. That is progress. That is development.

That is having Rondo and Perkins stepping up their games. You might want to say that’s what winning does for you. But that would mostly be wrong.

The stepping up is what is causes the winning, not the other way around.

Right now, Rondo is getting a lot of press and attention and rightly so. Rajon has fueled up his jets and is taking the Celtics pace up a notch. Easy shots are more likely for everyone.

But the blue collar, lunch pail guy, the sanitation worker on the team, Kendrick Perkins has played a fairly steady and solid game for quite a while. He cleans things up. Rebounds, put backs, picks to get players free.

He’s getting more 4th quarter minutes this year and I wondered if foul shooting has been an issue as to why he doesn’t always get strong PT in the 4th quarter previously.

Kendrick…

I think it was more Doc wanting to go small (previously) . But I’ve been trying to improve my fouls and trying to improve my foul shooting. A lot of times lately he’s been rolling with m in the 4th quarter, so it’s been pretty good.

Kendrick could be even more effective and elevate the headaches for opponents if he could consistently hit his foul shots. Right now, fouling KP means a 41% chance of a missed foul shot. Those are good odds for the competition versus a KP dunk or lay-up.

How much do you work on your foul shooting?

I work on it every day.

What do you do?

I try to make a hundred foul shots every day.

How long does it take?

I don’t really time it. But I’ll be in there a while.

What – maybe 150 shots?

Maybe. More like 175.

Okay. So today’s teacher is still learning.

But Kendrick has had double doubles in 3 of the last 4 games, after reaching double digit scoring only 4 other times and double digit rebounds 3 other times all season.

More important, he stabilizes the defense and allows Kevin Garnett to roam out a little bit, defend the pick and rolls, and help cut off driving lanes. By the same token, Garnett is there if someone gets past KP.

Kendrick also did a solid job against Dwight Howard, the league’s current post nightmare, holding him to 14 points.

According to Basketball Reference.com, Perkins is 6th in the league in Defensive Rating, 7th in offensive rebounds, and 5th in blocks. Unfortunately, he is also 5th in personal fouls and leads in technical fouls.

Garnett on Perkins…

I think Perk has totally understood his role, 100 percent, his role. We look for him now. He’s actually working on his offensive game and trying to be more of a threat. He takes a lot of pride when people are sagging off and he doesn’t like that. He’s doing something about it.

When he has match ups, he’s being patient. He’s going out and being more of an offensive threat.

But he hasn’t forgotten his role which is getting Paul open, getting Ray open, getting Rondo open. Being a defensive stopper and going in and clogging up the paint, things of that nature.

With his recent performances, he is showing how far he’s come since his first couple of years. His effort is solid every night. He is becoming a bit more involved in scoring and the Cs are finding him.

If he starts hitting those foul shots, there’s a place for him in the Fantastic Five, if he isn’t finding it already. And think of all the foul shooting time he’ll save.

The Portland Trailblazers scored their 36th point with 3:54 left in the second quarter, giving them a one point lead over the champion Celtics. They were giving the champs a real game. Those were their final points of the half and the next 7 minutes of game time.

Ray Allen…

They were scoring in transition. They were scoring over the top. They were making tough shots.

The Blazers didn’t score again until until 8:55 of the 3rd quarter.

By that time Boston had scored 21 straight points to lead 56-37. The Blazers didn’t score from the field until 7:01, almost 9 minutes without a field goal.

The 78 points scored by Portland was their lowest output of the season.

Ray Allen again….

We pushed them further away from the basket. We ran a little more and we took away their transition.

The Celtics ratcheted up their game to stop the Portland fastbreaks while increasing their own, finished with 22 FB points to the Blazers 11. Along the way, the refs let both teams play. That usually works to the Celtics’ advantage.

Leon Powe…

We bumped them off their cuts, kept them off balanced.

On top of that, they attacked the Portland middle patrolled by seven footer shot blockers Greg Oden, and Joel Pryzbilla and came away with 48 more points to the Blazers 34 in the paint. Oden’s NBA education continues. Pryzbilla did have 3 blocks and 8 boards in 26 minutes, but it wasn’t enough to stop the driving, passing Celtics.

Channing Frye…

They took us out of what we want to do offensively. What that does is mixes us up on defense, because when we’re not in the right spots on offense, it’s hard to get back.

It resulted in success that Portland hasn’t had happen against them very often this season. With a dominant performance by Kendrick Perkins and his 7 offensive boards, the Celtics grabbed 17 total offensive rebounds to Portland’s 9.

The Celtics rebounding was so good that Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo would start to cheat out a bit on Portland shots.

You saw a lot of easy leak outs. That was new to us. No team really does that to us. And they beat us on the glass. I mean that hasn’t happened in how many games.

The Trailblazers have the 4th best rebounding advantage in the league at plus 4.4, but the Celtics are 6th at 4.0 themselves. Last night it was no contest. Celts were the board kings.

Their defense cut off the Blazers from passing and running their offense resulting a lot of individual play.

They were just more aggressive because they knew where their shots were coming from and we were going one-on-one, so basically…

Not saying our offense is the whole thing. but you have to score the ball. We were scoring like 20, then 15 or 10 or something like that (points in a quarter). If you’re not scoring that means they’re getting fast breaks, they’re rebounding, they’re getting into what they want to do.

Boston’s physical defense took over and controlled the game…

Who gave Boston a boost?

Channing:

You know what? You know who really gave them a boost…was Rondo man. The way he penetrates in there, it creates havoc for our defense.

Rajon followed up his first career triple double with a solid 16 points on 6 of 8 shooting, 8 rebounds and 7 assists. Rondo’s penetration causes big problems as he has a great array of shooters in Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Eddie House spotting up when he does.

A lot of teams, a lot of people talk about (the fact that) he can’t shoot or whatever. He (doesn’t) need to shoot. When he goes to the hole like that, everything collapses and everybody’s in their (now open) spaces (to shoot the ball). Give them props. They’re the champions.

In spite of the final score, all was not perfect for the champions. The second unit gave back 12 of a 25 point lead (80-67) in less than 6 minutes of the 4th quarter.Doc Rivers immediately put the starters back in. They maintained that lead until there was only 1:49 left.

Doc was not happy with the bench’s performance…

We forced us to put the starters back in. I’m not even going to get into the bench right now. But I’m just going to say that they had a lot to do with their (Portland’s) made shots.We had a lot to do with it.

The energetic, emotional Glen Davis was visibly upset with something said to him in a time out.

The Boston Celtics rallied from 5 points down at 12 to 17 with 4:31 left in the first quarter to take a 24-21 lead by quarter’s end.

Deja Vu All Over Again
The Portland Trailblazers will argue the point with you.

But the results are the same.

Last season Portland came to Beantown as a surprise team with something to prove.

On January 16, 2008 they were the hottest team in the NBA at 23-14 and on an 18-2 streak that included a league high 13 game winning streak. They left with a 100-90 loss and talked about the physicalness of the Celtics and how they weren’t ready for that. It was a good measuring stick for what they have to do, etc, etc.

This year they added more ammunition in Greg Oden, Nicholas Tatum, Rudy Fernandez, Ike Diogu, Jerryd Bayless and were 14-6 on a 6 game winning streak.

Were they ready for the Celtics physical play this time? Apparently not. Channing was with the team last year and puts it in perspective this way…

They play a different style of basketball here and that’s how they play night in and night out. It’s hard to adjust to that or to scout for that, when you’re only going to have to face this once a year.

It’s the truth. Like…. San Antonio at home is very physical like that. But west coast teams play them two or three times or four times a year so you get used to that.

Okay. Fair enough. It even makes some sense. When the style of play is so different than what you’re used to, it can take some time to acclimate. Channing didn’t want to make excuses or take anything away from the Celtics. At the same time, he implied that being NBA champs allows them some leeway from the refs when they play at home.

I may even agree with that a bit last night. There are other nights where it appears the refs are harder on the Celtics earlier in the game, it seems. But the calls even out as the game progresses.

Portland had just 11 assists on the game and only 4 in the second half. That is a really low number. Before the game, Portland starting point guard Steve Blake said they were aware that the Cs pack it in on the strongside. The obvious remedy is to swing the ball to a proficient weakside shooter.

It must be noted that the Blazers are the very best three point shooting team (40.9%) in the league. There were more than a few times in the second half where Brandon Roy or Rudy Fernandez were positioned undefended at the weakside arc without ever seeing the ball.

They were that rattled. A game like this shows the difference between the best Eastern and Western teams. Defense rules the east. San Antonio and Houston are the west coast exceptions. The Lakers are trying but they have yet to prove they can do it over a season.

Portland gives up just 93 points a game, good for 7th best in the NBA. They are very good but a bit too young and perhaps without the mindset to expect the kind of defense that the top tier teams play.

As Greg Oden develops over the next few years, that will give them something to hang their hats on. The surrounding cast is reasonably good. They are…Trail Blazing right now.

next up: the Pacers Sunday in Indiana

It was a physical game that the Blazers weren’t used to having. The refs let them both play last night.

When that happens, it usually means good things for the Celtics. Last night was no different.

The final score of 93-78 was indicative of the night, though Portland’s second unit actually made a 4th quarter run against Boston’s second unit to cut a 25 point lead down to 13 with 6:05 left in the game.

Enter the starting five. The bleeding stopped, the win preserved.

This win ties the team with the second best start in team history. They have now done it 5 times.

If they win on Sunday against the Pacers it ties the best start ever at 20-2. (85-86 Celtics) No Celtic team has ever gone 21-2.

Portland came in playing very well last season. Portland is obviously better than they were last season. The result was the same. The method of Celtic play was the same.

The Trailblazers left a humbler team. And the talk then, as now, was about the physicality of play. The Celtics out rebounded a top rebounding team. They stopped everything that Portland wanted to do. Kendrick Perkins demonstrated complete all out play in showing Greg Oden the ropes of playing in the NBA.

Perkins wrestled away 7 offensive rebounds, 12 overall to go with 12 points for a hard fought double dozen against two of the better defensive bigs in the NBA. Greg Oden fouled out and Pryzbilla wasn’t able to do much better.

The numbers
A balanced offense resulted in six Celtics in double figures with Ray Allen leading with 19 points, followed by Rajon Rondo with 16.

The Celtics outrebounded them by 43-31, out assisted them by 21-11 and out turnovered them by 17-14. Okay that last one wasn’t supposed to happen. It didn’t matter.

Portland was led by LeMarcus Aldridge and Travis Outlaw with 13 each.

Rajon Rondo was the key again as he pressured the middle on offense, shot 6 for 8 from the
field and finished with 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and 2 turnovers.

But if Rondo was the key, Kendrick Perkins was the lock with his overall post play.

Ray Allen on Oden and Perkins…

Those two guys were pretty physical, and they’re just going at it. But I think, with Oden just being young in the league, I think Perk got the best of him….just from the stand point of foul trouble, knowing when to go and when not to.

Greg Oden’s day may come, but it wasn’t yesterday.

Moniker of the year.

Joel Pryzbilla, the Vanilla Gorilla. It’s funny because he’s such a nice quiet guy.

He’s never scored 20 points in an NBA game. He did grab 26 rebounds in a game last year, though. And he can block shots with the best of them.

He is shooting an NBA computer-game-ridiculous 82%…from the field, not the foul line. Granted he takes all of 3.2 shots per game – mostly dunks and lay-ins. That translates to 6.2 points in 23:23 minutes a game. Still, that percentage is absurd, really.

It mostly means that he is shooting too little. With Brandon Roy, Greg Oden and Lamarcus Aldridge there drawing attention to themselves, he must be getting Kendrick Perkins-like looks at the rim.

While all eyes will be on currently healthy Greg Oden, the ‘Celtic’ who got away…when the Cs ended up with pick #5 instead of one or two, it is Joel who might have truly have been be a Celtic…this season.

As rumors go, Durant was mumbled as the real Danny Ainge draft choice, not Oden. But that was never confirmed.

I don’t know any better than anyone else. But I do remember the Pryzbilla rumor.

Pre-season rumors had Ainge looking into the availability of 7′ 1″ Joel Pryzbilla, to back up Kendrick Perkins this season. Apparently he wasn’t offering enough, or the rumors weren’t true.

Either way, Joel looks even more intriguing with the yeoman’s job he is doing from the bench this season with the success of the Blazers. His $6.3 mil salary isn’t cheap, and his game is narrowly specialized. He has less range than Perkins.

Oh yeah, Joel’s wife’s name?…..Noelle. I kid you not.

See him play tonight against Boston at 8:00

It started with Tubby Smith in Kentucky. It continued as an NBA pro with the Celtics. Both teams play a deliberate half court style of ball.

Doc Rivers and the Celtics have been patiently making Rajon Rondo a capable half court point guard. Rondo has been patiently receiving his NBA education in offensive half court management.

But like Bruce Springsteen, Rondo was born to run.

He has been adapting and embracing the widening of his abilities, much like someone learns to use his his other arm when the dominant arm is broken.

Rajon Rondo’s personality can be interpreted (or misinterpreted) as either shy and quiet…or cool and aloof. Like Rondo’s game, he is opening up a bit more this year.

A locker room conversation with Rondo a few weeks ago, before the Bucks game, brings his recent move forward and ‘need for speed’ full circle. Talk was about his improvement, even then.

But it struck me that we are talking about a player and a point guard at that, that has been asked to play a style of ball for 4 years running now (really not running very often) that does not play to his strengths. He has no jump shot to speak of. As an open court magician trapped in a half court world, he has done it with complete compliance, at least publicly.

Ironically, before these recent hoop assaults and pedal to the metal performances, I asked him (before the Bucks game) if it was frustrating to him having to play essentially a style of ball for 4 years that doesn’t play to his strengths…

Not really. I mean we try to push it here as a Boston Celtic but..sometime you have to slow it down because you have…such great, great guys that can score the ball. You want to get a great shot down at the end of the floor everytime.

That’s true, but we know you have an engine running inside you. He mentioned the importance of playing under control and that some fast breaks don’t go that way…

Sometimes we run, we get out and we turn the ball over and take away from possessions of us being so efficient on (the) offense end.

No doubt. The Celtics were leading the league in turnovers at the time. They have sinced moved up to being ‘only’ 3rd worse in coughing up the ball.

So when you slow down, you’re in the half court set, you know the guys..we got KG, one of the greatest all time leading scorers, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. If you have a turnover, you take away possessions of a chance to score the basket.

Doc has him thinking about every possession, crucial in the post season. Nice. Like a fastball pitcher, Rondo will still uncork an occasional high hard one that ends up in the stands, with everyone wondering what the heck that was. But he is currently 7th best in the league in assists to turnovers at 3.61 to one. Rajon averages just 2 giveaways a game. Pay attention Derrick Rose.

Until recently, his green light was on misses…

In transition, on a miss, get it and go. We try to score in the first 6 seconds, but if we don’t have anything there, I just need to know as a point guard to set the ball up, set the offense up.

Set it up he has. 4th in the league in assists per 48 minutes (3rd in starters) at 11.8, ahead of Steve Nash, Jason Kidd and Baron Davis, and behind only Chris Paul, Sergio Rodriguez, and Jose Calderone, Rondo can dish. He is entering the top tier of passers right before our eyes.

Quiet Rondo is a strong minded person. As a 22 year old apprentice, he has had brief words or open disagreements during games with Doc, Ray and Paul in that championship season. Yet he has learned from them all.

Doc is still coaching me and I still want him to coach me, and critique me and correct me so I don’t feel any different (than last year). He hasn’t been saying as much. But there will be games he will, I’m sure.

I don’t think he will yell at me every game. I think I am improving as a young player…understanding what he wants me to do on the court…especially with play calling but…we have to be on the same page.

That’s what your point guard and your coach have to be. I’m the extended coach out there on the floor. So that I know what he wants and be on the same page with (Doc).

He is making far better decisions with the basketball than last season. He knows the plays better and he is drawing coverage and now even double coverage going to the hole.

He has found a way to partially compensate for his lack of a jump shot by being uber aggressive in taking it to the middle and scoring at about 15 points a game. That hurts the defense enough to require more attention. His court vision is allowing him to find the Celtics deadly threesome at open spots now. He is finally making the game easier for his three stars.

Little mentioned, but one of my reservations last season was the need for Pierce, Allen and Garnett to help Rondo succeed. The glow of the championship dimmed the focus required to make something out of desperate passes, when Rondo was caught in the paint without a shot or a plan. It seemed Pierce, in particular would often bail Rondo out of bad passes with difficult shots with no time left on the shot clock with nowhere to go. Pierce should have gotten the assist instead of Rondo.

Rondo would often go to the hoop and pass up a good shot for no reason. Last night’s triple double showed the complete change in intelligently controlling the offensive attack.

Go back to the beginning of last season and you will remember that they so had so little confidence in Rondo that Pierce or Ray Allen would bring the ball up or take it after clearing half court to make the passing decisions in the half court.

My, how times have changed. Rondo is now directing three of the game’s biggest stars and making things easy for them. ‘In Rondo We Trust’ is their motto. Rondo is arriving as a truly great point guard right before our eyes.

He is now at a lofty 7.7 assists per game, tied with Dywane Wade for 7th best.

The last Celtic team to have someone average over 7 assists was the 1996-7 team with David Wesley at 7.3. You have to go back 16 years to 1993-4 for someone higher than 7.7 with Sherman Douglas at 8.8 assists per game. Both were solid players. But neither could impact a game like Rondo can.

Frankly, you really have to talk about Dennis Johnson if you want to talk about impacting the game as Rondo does.

He is right behind the Big Three (4th best on the team) with how much his absence impacts the game’s score with a difference of 6.6 points with him off the floor. His presence is felt. This season, he makes a positive difference every night.

The game is full of ups and downs. The hardest thing is staying consistent.

Rondo is getting it indeed. Previously, the consistency was lacking. He is learning to produce in all circumstances now. That issue separates great from good players.

Besides repeating as NBA champions, Rondo has two personal goals this year:
1) making the All Star team (encouraging you to vote him in on his blog)
2) Being Defensive Player of the Year at PG.

The Celtics haven’t had a guard on the All Defensive Team for 22 years, since Dennis Johnson in 1996-7. Goal number two could happen, and if he keeps playing like he has the past few weeks, his All Star dream isn’t as far fetched as it seemed at the beginning of this season.

It looks like he is heading for big endorsement money with NIKE, though the contract is still being hammered out. An All Star appearance will only expedite the Rajon Rondo Phenomena.

Rondo has a unique game. His leaping ability, speed and quickness combined with a wingspan and big hands that are appropriately described as ‘freakish’ allow him to play taller than he is.

In last year’s play-offs, Tayshaun Prince marveled to me at Rondo’s ability to rebound even over much taller players.

There is really no one playing today who you can compare him to. I’m not sure who he would remind you of from the past either. He’s like the Andre Kirlilenko of point guards, stat-wise. He fills the sheet and scoring isn’t his dominant stat.

But adding scoring to equation was necessary to open things up for the rest of the team. Rondo’s is doing that basically without a jumpshot. His foul shooting is showing marked improvement, which is critical to driving to the basket. If you can’t convert the free throws, the other team is happy to foul you

But even the strategy of drawing fouls to get the other team into the penalty sooner is a goal of Rondo’s aggressiveness to help his stars score.

I want to shoot a lot of free throws. One of my strengths is to get to the basket and draw fouls… put the (other) team in the penalty early. That way I’ll get Paul and KG easy free throws if they need it. You know…if they’re struggling some games, get ‘em to the line. Be in the bonus in 6 minutes (of the quarter). Help my team mates out in that situation.

Last year, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett were concerned with Rondo’s game. Now he is all about about getting them going.

Rondo mentioned in his blog that he changed his pre-game ritual about 2 weeks ago to break out of his mini-slump. Obviously it worked.

If the Celtics continue this new found uptempo pace whenever possible, and Rondo presses the issue at the basket, it largely offsets his lack of a jumpshot, and the Celtics just become that much harder to beat.

In the education of a basketball player named Rondo, we are watching his development. Promotion to the next grade has arrived.

Mostly, he finally gets to apply his strengths to what he has already learned.

A career high 17 assists, 16 points, and 13 rebounds for Rajon Rondo befuddled the Indiana Pacers and bedazzled everyone else. It was a magnificent show. He reached the triple double with 10:31 left in the 3rd quarter

Statement game against a sub .500 team? You better believe it. One of only two blemishes (losses) on the Cs record came courtesy of the Pacers. The statement? We owe you.

O’Brien vs. Ainge …er… Rivers. Rondo vs. Ford. Rebuilding vs. repeating.

Super Heros
Rajon Rondo against T.J. Ford is like Kid Flash against the Flash. It looked like a road race all night. The Pacers got up 91 shots and the Celtics might have as well (80 attempts) if they didn’t get fouled so much (32 foul shots).

I said it might not be too long before they become the Fantastic Four. How about the Fantastic Five?

Last night Rondo was everywhere, making him Mr. Fantastic, while Ray Allen flamed on to become the Human Torch. Kendrick Perkins was as powerful and as the rock solid as the Thing, while Kevin Garnett was a little of all of three or maybe he was Iron Man (okay so he’s not part of the FF). Paul Pierce came the closest to be the Invisible Guy, but he really wasn’t needed for most of the night.

Rondo – the one man wrecking crew.

Actually, to have that many assists you need team mates making shots.
Leading all scorers with 31 points in just 27 minutes, Ray Allen continues his explosive barrage from the three point line, making 6 of 9 from the downtown and 11 of 18 over all.

Ray is now 23 of 39 for a scalding 59% from the arc in his last 6 games.

Kevin Garnett had his best offensive game of the year with 26 points and 14 rebounds, both season highs, while looking like Bill Russell with 4 timely blocks.

Paul Pierce added 16 points on an off shooting night (5-17), but was the only starter who struggled shooting. Marquise Daniels played Paul physical all night and Pierce was just off to begin with. Never did they need him on this evening.

Even Kendrick Perkins is upping his offense, adding 16 points on 5 of 6 shooting while hitting 6 of 8 foul shots. He even led one break for a Rondo assisted dunk, a rarity for him.

Phoenix Celtics?

It wasn’t that long ago that I had a conversation with Rondo where I asked him about playing mostly half court ball since college. He said he didn’t mind. I think he was being diplomatic.

Shortly after, he began this aggressive assault on the rim. Last night the Celtics pushed the ball as often as I’ve ever seen since the Trade. the Celtics had 16 fast break points and numerous early shot clock attacks before the Pacers could set their defense.

Rondo’s favorite target all night was Ray Allen who rotated over to the arc on the weakside for every Rondo led fast break and early offensive set-ups, nailing 6 of those demoralizers.

Orchestra Leader
Rondo was all of that. He was not only in sympatico with Ray Allen all night, he also ran a straight ahead moving alley oop with Garnett two times within minutes, once against Troy Murphy and once against Roy Hibbert.

He had three alley oops with Garnett on the night and the entire team looks like it is getting comfortable with each other’s tendencies, and receiving the ball where they like it.

Rondo drove and scored a lay up, or kicked it back out to an open shooter all night, often finding Kevin Garnett for open jumpers and Paul Pierce hit a three off a Rondo drive and kick out as well.

The Pacers led for most of the first half, before the Celtics managed to grab a 57-51 half time lead.

Indiana was up 27-21 before Boston made 7 point run to close the first quarter up 28-27, on a Rondo driving lay-up, a Perkins reverse lay-up and a Ray Allen three pointer.

Boston extended the run to 31-15, resulting in a ten point lead at 52-42, before the Pacers closed to within 6 at the half.

Ray Allen had 19 points in the first half

Rondo is now hitting his foul shots (6 for 7 last night and over 75% of late). If Perkins can start to improve that aspect of his game, he will become all that much more dangerous offensively.

Pesky Pacers
This game was hard fought and the Celtics wanted it badly as evidenced by the amount of time Doc played the starters in the 4th quarter.

A 23 point lead in the second half schrank to just eight at 90-82 before Kevin Garnett hit a huge turnaround bank shot, Ray Allen made a three pointer as did Paul Pierce – all assisted by Rondo to open things back up to 98-82 and the Cs weren’t challenged again.

The Celtics out rebounded the Paces by 54-31, a huge gap. But the Pacers constantly got loose in the paint, scoring 50 points, which I think, is a season high for the Cs defense. Boston returned the favor with 52 points in the paint themselves.

The Pacers actually played an energetic defense at times, in spite of the score. Boston’s bench was rather ineffective offensively in this game, scoring only 9 points total.

Rondo was Mister Fantastic in this game and been pretty fantastic in this recent stetch of games as he takes the ball to the hoop with authority and takes his career to the next level with his rising performances. Only Larry Bird, Antoine Walker have had ‘triples’ like that this.

Danny Granger led Indiana with 20 points, while Ford added 15 and 8 assists.

Next up: Portland in Boston on Friday