Raising Rondo has been Doc Rivers initiative ever since that draft night trade in 2004 with Phoenix.  He is now in his fourth season with an NBA championship to his name.  He is also operating under his rookie contract.

Last season saw some discord with Glen Davis’ impending free-agency.  The Celtics were able to keep their young forward for two more years.  They cannot risk that option with Rondo; without him the big three are merely a collection of superstars. 

Rondo is a unique player whose skills cannot be easily defined.  His jumper is so suspect that even Sherlock Holmes and Watson could not solve this short-coming.  His passing skills and rebounding ability puts him in a class by himself. 

So far, his pre-season performance has not reflected his work with Mark Price.  His shot is still erratic, but to his credit he continues to take it when he is open.

Danny Ainge has an opportunity to resolve his impending free-agency status by October 31, 2009. He understands that getting another championship this year will give him what he wants; a new contract and another notch in his belt over the Devin Harris’ and Chris Paul’s of the NBA.

This is Rondo’s year, no doubt about it; he is the central figure that will drive this championship contender.  He must prove that he can lead regardless of the combination Doc puts on the court with him.

Throughout the preseason, Rondo has shown that he can lead the whole team. It seems like he understands now how to pace the team, allowing Williams, Wallace and Daniels to seamlessly blend into the team’s fabric.

The Celtics played their last pre-season game against their opening night opponent, the Cleveland Cavaliers. He had a steady game; he probed the defense with the dribble and displayed his trademark thievery.

At the end of the third quarter he had led the Celtics to a 20 point lead.  His jump shot was steadier and the Celtics ended up winning comfortably by a 14 point margin with Rondo sitting out the fourth.

It is clear to see that the ‘big three’ have total faith in Rondo.  In fact, Kevin Garnett has been saying that Rondo’s play will dictate how far they go into the post season.

Doc has seen Rondo grow through all the grousing about his perceived inability to shoot or make free throws.  The trust between coach and point guard is on par with the confidence Rondo has. He just keeps moving to the pulse of his own game and turning non-believers into fans.

This entry was posted on Friday, October 23rd, 2009 at 12:13 pm and is filed under Most Recommended, News Headlines. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.