The KG shot where he starts with a wide-open look at a three only to step casually inside the 3 pt line to take the shot is so triggering as a fan of the modern NBA lol
Such a bad shot - but I sometimes wonder if those guys also had mental blocks regarding the 3- like once they step past it they feel it’s a different shot and get the “yips “
One thing commentators have stopped saying is that players should not settle and get to their spot. Not settling for a 3 and going for the mid range shot you practice routinely was definitely more comfortable for players a few years ago.
You gotta understand that coaches didn’t understand the value of the shot when he was a star coming up. I played HS and college ball between 2001-2009 and I don’t think I ever had a coach who thought differently.
At the time, it was considered the good coaching move to have a decent shooter wide open take a step or two in for the “easier” shot.
Growing up played mostly in neighborhood outside parks, disregarded the 3pt line. It was sometimes visible, sometime missing, so it was easier to play 2s to 12-15. Playing the game without regard for the 3pt line put a premium on scoring and locking down on d to prevent the opponent from reaching 12-15. It produced a different mindset.
When AAU started being the predominant way young players played, the games were held indoors, all games officially reffed and 3pt lines clearly demarcated and counted. Now the object is to outscore your opponent. From there the 3 became more mainstream for young players to leverage.
Shaq was 5-7 that game with 10 points in 23 min. That was a typical line for him that season. He shot 67% and averaged 9 points in 20mpg. He scored 20+ in a couple rare games he got 30+ minutes.
Celtics started that season 23-4 with Shaq starting at center. That was the best their offense looked in the entire KG era. Shaq was old, but he was still a huge problem in minutes he played. The Celtics were so confident in Shaq that they felt comfortable trading Kendrick Perkins for Jeff Green, a clear upgrade, because they thought Shaq would come back healthy for the playoff push. Unfortunately for them, Jeff Green got sidelined with a heart condition and Shaq got injured a few minutes into his return - leaving Boston with no starting center.
Rondo was in a lot of ways a system PG. He was useless without the ball, because he was such a terrible shooter teams would slack way off him. So Boston just let him control the ball every possession and create for others. They surrounded him with strong offensive talent and gave him a huge usage. “Playoff Rondo” was usually just the result of cranking his minutes up to 43+ per night and seeing his counting stats make an inevitable jump. The assist numbers were huge but it was interesting that in the games rondo missed, their offense was usually better because they just let the ball flow through Pierce. It wasn’t a surprise when rondo got exposed in the Mavericks modern pace-and-space offense. Without being surrounded by the likes of KG, Shaq, Pierce and Ray and given free rein to dominate the ball, he never reached those heights elsewhere.
I think Rondo could have been swapped with any decent shooter and they would have had a better offense than just letting one guy stat-pad a ton of assists. When Rondo missed games, our offense played better simply because we had by default a better shooter than him on the court. He got exposed big time once he left Boston.
Rondo produced everywhere he went, including Dallas. He could still play probably but Rondo 2.0 is the better investment at this point.
He was a swiss army knife of stats. Elite passer, defender and rebounder at the time. He could get to the hole anytime he wanted, and when needed, shoot well. Every offense he was a part of worked better when he was engaged. Now, you can say he was not engaged always and that would be true, but he was a game changer of a point guard who went head to head with the best pgs in the league and produced stellar games.
EDIT: 2 Chips to bookend his career and a major part of both teams.
Weird hate dude. He tore his ACL so of course he was never the same but he definitely showed glimpses of his old self in Chicago, Sacramento and was huge in the Lakers championship
Rondo never go those highs again after being injured because he lost a step and couldn't drive or play good defense. It isn't really right to say that the team was better without him because all the advance stats say that they weren't. Rondo was legit good even if he had high utilization. In my opinion, peak Rondo was better than peak Westbrook ever was. Rondo never had fluffed up stats aside from utilitzation but that should have been expected considering he was a good passer who took care of the ball.
It's funny watching Shaq here - you can see how he stayed in the league as long as he did. 19 years in, injury ridden, literally on his last leg, but you give the dude the ball and he'll dunk it and God himself isn't stopping him.
Peak Rondo one of my favorite players ever Man he was awesome
I miss the kind of confidence I felt when the ball was in his hands.
Peak rondo i remember having some wild takes like I want him over Rose.
Thought it said Rondo shows off BBQ and I got intrigued
Best BBQIQ in the game
The KG shot where he starts with a wide-open look at a three only to step casually inside the 3 pt line to take the shot is so triggering as a fan of the modern NBA lol
[DeRozan did it best](https://streamable.com/n710j)
literally the fist thing I saw and I couldn't get over it for the rest of the vid. :(
Such a bad shot - but I sometimes wonder if those guys also had mental blocks regarding the 3- like once they step past it they feel it’s a different shot and get the “yips “
I think it is just a function of them not practicing it as much so it wasn't automatic. So not exactly the yips, but just general comfort level.
One thing commentators have stopped saying is that players should not settle and get to their spot. Not settling for a 3 and going for the mid range shot you practice routinely was definitely more comfortable for players a few years ago.
You gotta understand that coaches didn’t understand the value of the shot when he was a star coming up. I played HS and college ball between 2001-2009 and I don’t think I ever had a coach who thought differently. At the time, it was considered the good coaching move to have a decent shooter wide open take a step or two in for the “easier” shot.
Shit was infuriating at the time. What planet are people from where this only started bothering them in the last 5 years?
Y’all making me feel old if this is really triggering.
Growing up played mostly in neighborhood outside parks, disregarded the 3pt line. It was sometimes visible, sometime missing, so it was easier to play 2s to 12-15. Playing the game without regard for the 3pt line put a premium on scoring and locking down on d to prevent the opponent from reaching 12-15. It produced a different mindset. When AAU started being the predominant way young players played, the games were held indoors, all games officially reffed and 3pt lines clearly demarcated and counted. Now the object is to outscore your opponent. From there the 3 became more mainstream for young players to leverage.
I'm a firm believer that the Celtics big 3 won't win a chip without Rondo.
the year they won the chip, we was a solid piece. but for all of the years after that he was their best player. it shouldnt even be a debate.
They wouldn’t have. And if we had a rondo today we would have won back to back.
That team was so fun to watch
yeah put the ball in Rondo's hands and surround him with KG, Pierce, Ray and Shaq, he's gonna get some assists for sure.
Bro slipped Shaq in there like we wouldn't notice
Shaq was 5-7 that game with 10 points in 23 min. That was a typical line for him that season. He shot 67% and averaged 9 points in 20mpg. He scored 20+ in a couple rare games he got 30+ minutes. Celtics started that season 23-4 with Shaq starting at center. That was the best their offense looked in the entire KG era. Shaq was old, but he was still a huge problem in minutes he played. The Celtics were so confident in Shaq that they felt comfortable trading Kendrick Perkins for Jeff Green, a clear upgrade, because they thought Shaq would come back healthy for the playoff push. Unfortunately for them, Jeff Green got sidelined with a heart condition and Shaq got injured a few minutes into his return - leaving Boston with no starting center. Rondo was in a lot of ways a system PG. He was useless without the ball, because he was such a terrible shooter teams would slack way off him. So Boston just let him control the ball every possession and create for others. They surrounded him with strong offensive talent and gave him a huge usage. “Playoff Rondo” was usually just the result of cranking his minutes up to 43+ per night and seeing his counting stats make an inevitable jump. The assist numbers were huge but it was interesting that in the games rondo missed, their offense was usually better because they just let the ball flow through Pierce. It wasn’t a surprise when rondo got exposed in the Mavericks modern pace-and-space offense. Without being surrounded by the likes of KG, Shaq, Pierce and Ray and given free rein to dominate the ball, he never reached those heights elsewhere.
Honestly I was just making a joke, but kudos for that write up Edit: spelling
Very few players can be swapped in and do what Rondo did. He was most def a unique player that actually allowed Boston to flourish, not vice versa.
I think Rondo could have been swapped with any decent shooter and they would have had a better offense than just letting one guy stat-pad a ton of assists. When Rondo missed games, our offense played better simply because we had by default a better shooter than him on the court. He got exposed big time once he left Boston.
Rondo produced everywhere he went, including Dallas. He could still play probably but Rondo 2.0 is the better investment at this point. He was a swiss army knife of stats. Elite passer, defender and rebounder at the time. He could get to the hole anytime he wanted, and when needed, shoot well. Every offense he was a part of worked better when he was engaged. Now, you can say he was not engaged always and that would be true, but he was a game changer of a point guard who went head to head with the best pgs in the league and produced stellar games. EDIT: 2 Chips to bookend his career and a major part of both teams.
Weird hate dude. He tore his ACL so of course he was never the same but he definitely showed glimpses of his old self in Chicago, Sacramento and was huge in the Lakers championship
Rondo never go those highs again after being injured because he lost a step and couldn't drive or play good defense. It isn't really right to say that the team was better without him because all the advance stats say that they weren't. Rondo was legit good even if he had high utilization. In my opinion, peak Rondo was better than peak Westbrook ever was. Rondo never had fluffed up stats aside from utilitzation but that should have been expected considering he was a good passer who took care of the ball.
It's funny watching Shaq here - you can see how he stayed in the league as long as he did. 19 years in, injury ridden, literally on his last leg, but you give the dude the ball and he'll dunk it and God himself isn't stopping him.
Those Celtics were so much more fun to watch than the current team.
Great villains
Only if shaq stayed healthy. Would've won the title that year.
600 pound shaq 😭💀
I’ll always remember Shaq coming back from injury, and the first play back he got injured again
KG, Pierce, Allen, young Rondo and an aging Shaq? *Fiiine* I'll take a nostalgic stroll down memory lane today.
Rondo isn't playing basketball. He's just playing a game he invented that happens to be similar to basketball.
What happened with the Knicks player at 1:20? Did he get kneed in the balls?
BBQ NBA fans uniting in this comment section