Rondo praised for missing game winning shot?

[fish7718]

DALLAS — In a moment of failure, Rajon Rondo took a major step forward as a leader and a franchise point guard.

 

The scouting report on Rondo is brutally honest. Leave him alone on the perimeter. If he hits three in a row, leave him alone. If he hits five, leave him alone.

 

It won’t change for a while, regardless of how much Rondo works on his most glaring weakness — his jump shot. In the waning seconds of the Celtics’ 89-87 loss last night at American Airlines Center, Rondo was left alone for a jump shot, the Mavericks using five defenders to check four Celtics.

 

Trailing by 2, Rondo held the ball standing at the 3-point line, his teammates staring at him. The Mavericks waited for his dribble penetration but realized he didn’t have enough time for an acrobatic shot.

 

He waited a few more moments, set his feet, and launched a 3-pointer with 3.8 seconds left. The ball felt silky coming off his fingers, but like a fairway drive, it tailed to the right, clanging off the rim. Ray Allen gathered the rebound with 2.8 seconds left but Jason Terry intelligently fouled him as the Mavericks had one to give.

 

In reality, the game ended on Rondo’s miss. But the fact he attempted the 3-pointer was progress for a player who has sometimes tried to camouflage his detractors. During last year’s NBA Finals, when Rondo was struggling with his free-throw shooting, he curtailed his drives to the basket.

 

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Thoughts? Do you guys feel Rondo should at least shoot jump shots even if they don't fall at an efficient rate, just to draw the defense toward him more?

Edited November 10, 2010 by STATCity

[Check my Stats]

Mathematically, the odds are pretty comparable that Rondo hits a 3 to hitting 2 FT's.

[Flash]

Mathematically, the odds are pretty comparable that Rondo hits a 3 to hitting 2 FT's.

 

That's pretty sad considering he blows at FT's.

[Warren2ThaG]

That's pretty sad considering he blows at FT's.

 

52% isn't considered bad.

Edited November 10, 2010 by Warren2ThaG

[AA25 Mamba]

I don't agree with this. We all know Rondo can't shoot, which is fine, he doesn't really need too. All of this talk about defenders playing off of him, I think that's fine. When they play him like that I just think he needs to get a head of steam and get into the paint, there's no way anyone is going to slide with him if he gets his speed going, he'll just blow by them.

 

But as for Rondo taking the last shot Monday night, NO. He should have either got into the paint when they backed off of him and kicked it out to one of his hall of fame teammates; or he had enough time to dribble the ball to Pierce on the right wing for a hand off.

 

Eventually he will have to get to the point where he can make jumpers consistently, but not with this group now. As far as I see it, if Rondo takes a J in the flow of the game and it drops, that's just gravy.