[FastAndFuriousParticipant]

Where does he rank at for you at the PG position?

Some people think it’s far fetched if you say he’s the best, but in reality he just might be the best, he might not have that athleticism of Westbrook and Rose, he may not take care of the ball as well as CP3, but this guy is a walking triple double literally.

He notched another triple double last night: 13pts,12rebs,17ast

[thatshitkrayParticipant]

1. Paul

 

2. Rose

 

3. Westbroook

 

4. Rondo

 

Some would argue Tony Parker ahead of Rondo but if you we’re to trade Parker for Rondo straight up, the Celtics wouldn’t as be good as it was with Rondo while Rondo with the Spurs would be even better. Rondo’s ability to execute the basketball in half court sets is phenomenal. I’d say the Celtics are the second best excecuting team in the league behind the Spurs. Just imagine how much better they’d be with Rondo. No disrespect to Parker, but his passing ability is not as good as Rondo but his scoring ability is significantly better. Not to mention Rondo’s a top defender and rebounds like a big man.

 

 

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

20 something percent from 3PT and less than 60% from the FT Line… That bans him from being the top point guard in the league. I’m surprised teams haven’t "hacked a Rondo’d" him down the stretch of games. He can’t make them with the game on the line.

He’s top five though.

[JunkYardDogParticipant]

he’s very underrated in my mind… every season when PO come it seems that everybody reminds how good he is.

He’s from that kind of competitor that plays his best basketball when you need and when it cares. He’s always better during big games and is maybe the last really true pg.

And afterall is this so important for your team to have your pg scoring 20pts…? Your pg has to score but to keep being dangerous but he doesn’t have to put 20pts. That’s more important for your team’s play to have apg able to dish great assists, create plays for others, and runs the system.

[B-ball fanParticipant]

 Hack-a-Rondo doesn’t make sense.  The Celtics offense is decent, but it isn’t elite.  Most teams only average about 1 point per possession, so fouling a 60% free throw shooter doesn’t make sense.  I think teams would have a better shot just playing good defense, as it is too risky to really play Hack-a-Shaq with all, but the very worst free throw shooters.  It isn’t like Rondo will be put in offensive situations where the defense won’t be able to stop him from scoring, like Shaq was.  If Shaq wasn’t so dominant when he got the ball in the low post, teams wouldn’t have played Hack-a-Shaq.  It was just the lesser of two evils.  

[pohani komaracParticipant]

To me he is Leonardo Da Vinci of basketball. Artist, architect and innovator. He is one of guys that is sometimes hard to understand, but he plays basketball in some difrent dimension. When his is in some zone, there is no player in word that is more plesure to watch for me then him. Some of his plays are product of his briliant basketball mind that can not be learnd.

When it comes to some regular basketball things only thing he is missing is that jumpshot

I’m very subjecitve on him, but if I could select my team way I wannt, he would be first choice over anybody

[Malik-UniversalParticipant]

 1. paul

2. rose

3. williams

4. westbrook

5. nash

6. RONDO

[Malik-UniversalParticipant]

 actually i meant to put nash at 4 then westbrook at 5

[dmo21Participant]

Ranking point guards on their play for this season, and this season alone, I would go:

1) Chris Paul

2) Russell Westbrook

3) Tony Parker

4) Rajon Rondo

p.s.- I did not count Rose as he was injured for a majority of the season, but in the time he played I would rank Rose as #1 and move everyone down a peg. 

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

@B-ball fan

 

I don’t really understand all of what you wrote…

 

I mean, to me it’s like this… Close game, you’re down a point or two… Why not foul Rondo and put him on the line? And if it’s a close game, why allow Pierce, Allen or KG to beat you? Foul Rondo and make him shoot at the line. There’s no way I’d let Rondo get a layup at the rim, without fouling him.

 

—

 

And if I had to rank the point guards right now (playoffs):

 

1. Tony Parker – Leading the best team in the NBA and always is in attack mode, plus averaging a career high in assists.

 

2. Chris Paul – He’s been great, but I still don’t think he’s in attack mode enough for a team that really needs him to be.

 

3. Rajon Rondo – Same old same old with Rondo… Elite at everything except shooting.

 

4. Russell Westbrook – Still out of control and has bad decision making, but when he’s on his game, the Thunder look close to unbeatable. He’s the most athletic point guard in the league now.

 

5. Mike Conley – He has a Rondo-ish impact on his team… He’s not the rebounder Rondo is, but he’s probably a better on ball defender. And of course he shoots better. Too bad Rondo can’t improved his shooting like Conley has. When he goes out of the game, the Grizzlies just aren’t the same. It was between him and Ty Lawson here, and I’m going with Conley because I think he makes his teammates better. Conley has held his own against Paul.

[Taylor Gang MikeParticipant]

 D Rose

Williams

Paul

Parker

Rondo

Westbrook

[HaleParticipant]

Personally I have Rondo as 3a and D-Will 3b.

[Meditated StatesParticipant]

The best.

[B-ball fanParticipant]

 Oh, certainly if you are in a situation where you have to foul, then Rondo is the player you want to foul.  That isn’t Hack-a-Shaq, though.  In that situation, though, the Celtics will try to inbound to Pierce or Allen.  I assumed you meant foul when there was greater than 24 seconds left on the clock, like when teams would foul Shaq intentionally when he got deep post position.

I should note that Rondo doesn’t make 60% of his shots at the rim.  Few pgs do.  If he could be fouled constantly, he would welcome it, as he is not a great scorer from the field.  In fact, just about every player in the league scores more effectively at the line than from the field.  It is not like he is LeBron James, who will finish at the rim unless you foul him in most scenarios.  

[Sirknicks89Participant]

 Rondo in my opinion is the best right ahead of cp3 I know cp can score better then rondo but that’s the only thing he does better rondo gets crazy rbs he also has the best defense out off all the pgs. If u have a decent wing player ala pierce granger or a Rudy gay and a pf that can shoot mid range rondo will get all of them there shots dude makes it so ppl just get to stand around and shoot there shot no other of really has that effect. 

[DurantsWingspan]

Yeah hes pretty good but are you guys freaking serious? No way he is near these top level PGs. He is in the next batch. NO way is Tony Parker up there with CP3, Derrick Rose, Deron Williams, Russell Westbrook, and Rajon Rondo. With that being said. Indiana, Tony Parker #1? That is just funny. That is like people who said Chauncey Billups was the best the year Detroit was so great. How can you put Tony Parker over CP3, just how? I’d take CP3 with a broken leg.

1.CP3

2.Derrick Rose

3.Rajon Rondo

4.Deron Williams

5.Russell Westbrook

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

@DurantsWingspan

 

Chauncey Billups was very good in Detroit, but he was NEVER a Tony Parker.

 

I think you underrated Parker. He’s not much different than Derrick Rose, minus the vertical athleticism. That floater Rose does? Parker was doing that 10 years ago…

 

The pressure he puts on a defense is insane. Name another point guard that finishes around the rim like he does? He’s shooting 50% from the floor for his career. His mid-range game is great. And this season he’s averaging a career high in assists. Shooting a career high from the free-throw line.

 

You’re sleeping on Parker. Chris Paul is a better point guard, but I think Tony Parker has played better this season IMO. He’s playing better right now too.

[DurantsWingspan]

You said it best. Hack a rondo has got to be the STUPIDEST strategy ever. First off he is not even that bad a shooter. 2nd off he isnt that great of a scorer anyways, nor is anyone on Boston. It is not like the Celtics are this crazy offensive team where if you give them only one point on offense you should consider yourself lucky. I just dont get how people can be sooooo unintelligent. Did you see the Warriors try to do this on Dwight Howard earlier this season? Dwight Howard. A WAYYYYY worse free throw shooter than Rajon Rondo (not to mention Rondo is extremely clutch and I doubt would miss as many free throws late in the game) and the Magic ended up winning by ten. If you hit one free throw every time (Rondo would definitley hit more than one being that he is over a 50% shooter) that equates to hitting a field goal every other time, which equates to shooting 50% from the field. Not a good idea to a defensive team like Boston, actually a HORRiBLE ridiculously stupid one, that I doubt other teams even thought about yet alone considered.

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

1. CP3

2. Derrick Rose

3. Russell Westbrook

4a. Deron Williams

4b. Rajon Rondo

5. Steve Nash

6. Tony Parker

I think Russell Westbrook has surpassed Deron Williams on this list.  Russell Westbrook has become an unstoppable player on the court, especially since his mid-range game has improved so much.  Not only that but he plays both sides of the ball, no other point guard, aside from Rondo and CP3, play as good defensively as Westbrook.  To be considered the best at your position, you have to be able to do it all.  Make shots, control the tempo, play defense, pass the ball, make your team better, and lead your team.  CP3 does all of those.

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

@DurantsWingspan

 

Rondo not that bad a shooter? Lol… He’s extremely clutch and probably wouldn’t miss with the game on the line??? Are we talking about the same Rondo?

 

I won’t write what you wrote is stupid and unintelligent like you did me, but you need to watch a little more ball… Rondo is an awful free-throw shooter, poor shooter and is not confident at the free-throw line down the stretch… That is a fact.

 

Anytime you’re a ball dominant point guard and shoot 54% from FT, that’s a liability. Maybe "hack a Rondo" was the wrong term to use, but there’s no way I let him get a layup.

[FastAndFuriousParticipant]

I have Rondo at 2 maybe even 1, when this guy is focused he can do things NO other PG can do.

When was the last time a PG grabbed 17,14,12 boards in a game?!

He may cannot shot, but his rebounding ability, his defense make up for the jumpshot, I think people pay way too much attention to his inability to shoot the ball and don’t look at the other things he does on the court to make up for his weakness.

While it is a weakness it hasn’t hindered Rondo not a bit, he still gets to the rim at will and is able to do all the things great PG’s are supposed to do, penetrate and dish and he does it with extreme ease even at the highest level(NBA).

 

[mgreener_34Participant]

 I love Rondo, and am all for him being the best PG. Last night he played very lethargic, but half way through the fourth he looked at the stat sheet, saw he almost had a triple double, and that’s when the beast awakened. That one minute describes Rondo the best in my opinion. He doesn’t really play for anything but stats at times, and doesn’t always give it his all, but when he’s locked in he can take over a game. Not take over a game like CP3 or Derrick Rose does by scoring a lot, but by scoring, controlling the ball, creating turnovers, rebouding, and just changing every facet of the game. No other PLAYER besides LeBron James can tout that accomplishment, let alone another PG. 

The fact that the only thing people can say about Rondo is "well he doesn’t hit threes", just goes to show you how good he actually is. Have you guys seen how versatile Rondo has become? The Celtics have set plays now were they set Rondo on the low post like he’s Shaq, and it actually works. He has more post moves then half the bigs in the NBA, and rebounds better then a lot of them too. 

[scbe2223Participant]

 Fast and furious said it the best, "when he is focused"

He was getting eaten alive in the first half last night, and yet he turned it on late to get the stats and the W.

That being said, I can’t rank someone that high who isn’t always engaged and completely motivated.

I would put him around the 5 position in the league behind rose, Westbrook, CP3, and Dwill. He and Tony Parker are about the same level in my eyes.

[DurantsWingspan]

I understand he is a horrid free throw shooting and it is a liability. I mean if your team is down, then that is your man to foul. I just don’t get how you can actually use it as a strategy like a hack a Shaq. It didn’t work when they hacked a Shaq, the perfect example for when it actually had a chance to work. Hack a dwight didn’t work, with maybe the worst free throw shooting big man in the league. How the hell is hack a Rondo gonna work for a slow paced, defensive minded Boston team. In a playoff series with them, when every single point is so hardly earned and important, I just dont get it. I don’t mean to call it stupid but I just dont get ONE single reason of how a team can benefit.
As for Parker I understand what you are saying. He is great. His floater has got to be one of the best all times and his scoring in the paint has got to be one of the best all time for a PG. With that said, he still isn’t superstar caliber. You say the only thing that seperates Rose and Parker is athleticism which I can agree with, but that is a big difference. A huge reason what makes Rose so damn great is his athleticism. I think he is a good player, maybe an all star, but not top 5 point guards. Not for someone giving me 18, 3, and 7.5

[FritzParticipant]

I dont think Rondo is close to the number one spot, I would take Paul, Westbrook, Rose, and Williams over him.

His defensive impact is no where near enough to make up for his lack of shooting. Why? Because when you go against elite point guards like Paul and Rose, they are going to get theres regardless. Just like Rose vs the Celtics, Rondo played great defense but elite offense always beats good defense. And by Rondo lacking a jumpshot, the player guarding him doesnt need to be good at defense because to guard Rondo all you do is stand back a couple feet and dare him to shoot. Rondo does all the little things great, maybe better than any one else in the league.

But, when does Rondo ever draw a double team like other point guards do? Rondo gets the absolute most out of his talents and is an ALL NBA caliber player, but his defenseive impact is overated, and his assist numbers are inflated by his lack of scoring ability. Great great player. But better than Rose or Chris Paul? Come on man.

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

We might be able to settle this debate this year. CP3 and Tony Parker will battle with the winner possibly taking on Westbrook.
If Rondo and the Celtics can bear Philly and the Heat then we could see a great matchup beteen Rondo and Paul, Westbrook, or Parker.
If one of those star point guards come away with the title then he can make an argument for best point guard RIGHT NOW.

D Rose is great but he is a one man show. He was stopped by the Heat last year. Does Rose have another gear for the playoffs? Can he get his teammates involved and close games out? Rondo and Paul can. Let’s see if TP can carry the Spurs to a title. Can Westbrook find yet another gear? He is similar to Rose, but I think Westbrook is built better. RW is similar to D Wade in that regard. He looks like he is more durbale and can withstand punishment better.
If RW can help the Thunder beat the Lakers and impose his will, then beat Paul or Parker in the conference finals then he will show me something. If they can then
beat Miami or Boston in the Finals then Westbrook will prove to me that he is one of the Elite guards in the league. Up there with D Wade perhaps. Maybe not a pure point guard like Paul or Rondo but the equal of D Rose who was last year’s MVP.

This playoffs can do a lot of things. It could tell us how good Rondo is. Or if Westbrook is truly an elite player. Or if Tony Parker is better than Chris Paul.

Ironically, after MVP winner LBJ and runner up Kevin Durant, four of the next top players in the race where Paul, Parker, Rondo, and Westbrook in my opinion with the other top 7 or 8 guy being Kobe with Wade and Love being a notch below those other guys.

With the 2012 title on the line we are going to find out who the best TEAM is. We might also learn who the best PLAYER is.

[Malik-UniversalParticipant]

when rondo can actually shoot

he will be ahead of westbrook and possibly even nash……

you guys are seriously letting one game get to your head

i love rondo but his lack of shooting is still an issue

and thats a fact

[rickybobbyParticipant]

 1.Chris Paul- Does it all no question he’s the top pg

 2. Rajon Rondo- also a do it all pg, if he was more consistent with his jump shot, free throws, and offense overall he could challenge for the top spot.

 3. Deron Williams- Gets the Nod over Rose slightly because he can score like a Derrick Rose when needed, but is a better passer, shooter, game manager, and Runs a team better.

 4. Derrick Rose- Very good scorer, good at getting teammates involved, good at running a team, great athlete, does everything above average to good except defending, unlike the top 3 Rose isnt as effective if he isnt a scoring the ball, because his whole game is based around it.

 5. Russell Westbrook- all the physical tools to be top 3 but inconsisency limits him, basketball IQ isnt great, still alittle raw but his great athletsim and energy makes up for it.

 

[HaleParticipant]

If Rose and Paul aren’t #1 and 2 on your list (in either order), I think you need to redo it.

[Author]

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