Rondo admits he hasn't played defense in years

[N0 LyF3 ScRuB]

Via ESPN


"I haven't played defense in a couple years," Rondo said. "I've been able to hide a lot with Avery Bradley on the ball. He's helped out, the young guy. But [in Dallas] they expect me to play defense and, in the West, if you don't play defense you'll get embarrassed every night at the point guard position."

:lol Dallas

[benstanfield]

Not surprising at all. This is something you have to take into account when teams trade for Rondo/Smith/Love type players, that they've probably gotten into the habit of giving horseshit effort on D because their teams are losing on purpose. It can be a good thing, like maybe Rondo will wake up and go back to 2012 Rondo when his team actually wants to win. But then you look at Love, all those years on shit teams and now he's entering his prime years and can't play a lick of D.

Spurfan can laugh now, but if Dallas gets playoff-Rondo the West is totally fucked unless Dirk regresses a ton. They match up well with every team but OKC.

[Chris]

More like lol Boston wtf were they coaching up there?

[Jodelo]

:lol Dallas

Why?

Maybe you should stick to cats topics...

[Raven]

Not surprising at all. This is something you have to take into account when teams trade for Rondo/Smith/Love type players, that they've probably gotten into the habit of giving horseshit effort on D because their teams are losing on purpose. It can be a good thing, like maybe Rondo will wake up and go back to 2012 Rondo when his team actually wants to win. But then you look at Love, all those years on shit teams and now he's entering his prime years and can't play a lick of D.

Spurfan can laugh now, but if Dallas gets playoff-Rondo the West is totally fucked unless Dirk regresses a ton. They match up well with every team but OKC.

love has not played a lick of D in his career, rondo has.

[EasyD]

Dude's keeping it real and stepping up his D now. Don't see how that is a bad thing.

[Mori Chu]

"chill mode"

[Thread]

Dude's keeping it real and stepping up his D now. Don't see how that is a bad thing.

Because he is a piss pot & a chickenshit for picking & choosing when to compete. And that you "Don't see" that is indicative.

[Franklin]

Not surprising at all. This is something you have to take into account when teams trade for Rondo/Smith/Love type players, that they've probably gotten into the habit of giving horseshit effort on D because their teams are losing on purpose. It can be a good thing, like maybe Rondo will wake up and go back to 2012 Rondo when his team actually wants to win. But then you look at Love, all those years on shit teams and now he's entering his prime years and can't play a lick of D.

Spurfan can laugh now, but if Dallas gets playoff-Rondo the West is totally fucked unless Dirk regresses a ton. They match up well with every team but OKC.
Agree. The years when he played tough defense ain't too distant yet and hopefully he can get back some of that old form especially at the defensive end. His rebounding seems even better than ever (remarkable for a PG his size), and if he starts to play good D as he used to, just like you said the West as well as the whole league (East is shit) would be utterly fucked with no exceptions. OKC may be our toughest possible matchup in the west since we would have no solution to Durant (which would make us miss the 11' Marion a lot), and Dirk would have a hard time performing against that nigga Ibaka, but at least we'll have homecourt advantage. Westchuck may shoot his team out again any night, and OKC don't have that son of a bitch Sefolosha anymore which would make life much easier for Monta who's our primary scoring option right now.

If I were Carlisle I'd start Aminu against OKC instead of MVParsons. Aminu's athleticism and size would enable him to do a good job guarding Durant imho, while Parsons off the bench would give us continuous offensive fire.

[DMC]

Right now Rondo is going off on some niggas in Boston. 4 for 4 from 3... lol. Breaking one off in his old team. Nostalgia and such.

[Kyle Orton]

Rondo has played good d and is getting better each game since the trade. Still looks awkward with him and monta on the floor but the mavs are playing well again and rondo is fitting in

[Henrik Sedin]

Right now Rondo is going off on some niggas in Boston. 4 for 4 from 3... lol. Breaking one off in his old team. Nostalgia and such.

That must be a career high.

[DMC]

That must be a career high.
No doubt... wonder if it will hold.

[Jodelo]

Yep career high, 5/7 at the end. Won't hold but still nice.

[DMC]

Not that Boston wasn't extremely good to him, but Rondo had an axe to grind and Rick is just the man to turn the wheel.

[mavsfan1000]

Not surprising. Well the stats back that up. We'll see if he can keep it up.