[Krypt14Participant]

 Just an observation from watching the Heat – Celtics game. Heat are playing up to 6 or 7 feet away from Rondo, as he isn’t a huge threat from downtown, which other teams commonly do. I think they are ignoring how much easier this makes it for Rondo to pass the ball, particularly to guys coming off screens. I think the risk of being beaten off by the dribble by him is outweighed by the benefit of making it harder for him to hit the open guy if he had a defender in his face.Thoughts?

[WizardofOzParticipant]

Well if they play him up close, it’ll be much easier for him to penetrate.

[Raef LaFrentzParticipant]

I’ts pick your poison, really.. Rondo is going to find a way to impact the game in some facet.

However, I agree thsat it makes it easier for him to make a perfect pass to players coming off of screens. I’ve heard Jeff Van Gundy mention that numerous times and I agree with him just like you.

[Krypt14Participant]

 I agree it’s a hard call and playing him too close would be crazy, but surely there is a happy medium where some ball pressure could be put on him…right now he has all the time in the world to see the floor and pick his passes.

[DondiJohnParticipant]

 Without a player harrassing or even pressuring the pass, Rondo’s vision and passing prowess to a teammate wouldn’t be even challenged. Direct and pin point passes will be delivered.

[ChewyParticipant]

are banking on that in the half court that the player guarding Rondo is so far off that he is in an immediate position to help which allows the primary defenders on Pierce and Allen to run on hard. Even if Pierce gets them on a pump fake the help side that is technically guarding Rondo is only a step away.

In transition (there have been 3 2-on-1 situations where Rondo had the ball so far) in all 3 times the players blatently left Rondo open and tried to force him to shoot which resulted in 1) a missed lay up by Rondo 2) Bass catching the ball in a position where he can’t do anything w/ it and 3) Ray making a tough contested floater.

It’s obvious that the HEAT are daring Rondo to shoot every time down the court.

* Also, congrats to that one guy who went to Vegas and bet that the first Celtics basket would come from an out of bounds play where it was thrown of a HEAT players back. 1,000,000 to 1 shot and you got it buddy.

[UNCbasketballbumParticipant]

If Rondo was on OKC, I think he would average about 15-18 assists per game.  The guy has the best court vision of any PG in the league right now.  Love how Rondo is playing.

[pohani komaracParticipant]

Just an observation from watching the Heat – Celtics game. Heat are playing up to 6 or 7 feet away from Rondo, as he isn’t a huge threat from downtown, which other teams commonly do. I think they are ignoring how much easier this makes it for Rondo to pass the ball, particularly to guys coming off screens. I think the risk of being beaten off by the dribble by him is outweighed by the benefit of making it harder for him to hit the open guy if he had a defender in his face.Thoughts?

 

No, it make defense to help better and stop movement without ball. as a pg he must impruve his 3pt 

[B-ball fanParticipant]

 That oversimplifies it.  Rondo’s help defender can’t completely ignore him, and the Celtics’ half court execution is aided by the lack of ball pressure.  I think that teams generally make the right decision to play off, as it is a pick you’re poison scenario, but I think some team’s, such as the Heat, should apply more ball pressure, as Rondo is an inconsistent finisher at the rim.  You just need to make sure you rotate well and don’t allow open threes off of penetration.

[Author]

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