Can you believe the nerve of Rajon Rondo?
Rondo came out of nowhere. A former Kentucky Wildcat, Rondo's in his third year in the league, and he's showing exactly why Doc Rivers loves him so much. He can do it all: He can assist, rebound, and now he's become an efficient and quick scorer, constantly driving down the lane like a bowling ball. And he's gotten so good in these three areas, last night he came close to his third triple-double in five games. In last night's thrilling finale, Rondo led his team in scoring with 28 points. With Ray Allen having fouled out, and Paul Pierce struggling from the field for most of the game, Rondo's become the go-to guy.
Luckily, Rondo isn't the only unexpected player to step up. Glen "Big Baby" Davis has taken the pacifier out for good. Finally becoming the toddler he was meant to become, Davis is standing on his own two feet, storming up and down the court and drenching the basket with mid-range jumpers. Pretty impressive, considering the former LSU Tiger was more effective as a post player.
Point is, if these two played the way they did with a Garnett, they would be simply unstoppable. So regardless if they lose in the Eastern Conference playoffs or the National Championship, or even end up winning it all, just imagine this team with another 6'10 energy boost, averaging 15+ and 10+ a game.
***
NBA PREDICTION UPDATE: Looks like the Blazers hit a bump in the road, but they managed to push the Rockets into a game 6 tonight. Watch out, Brandon Roy's looking hungry.
Enjoy the show!
-Davius "Heyward-Bey" Smith
Showing posts with label Rajon Rondo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rajon Rondo. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Eastern Conference and the Electric Mayhem
Hope everyone's had an eccentric Easter and a passé Passover! I know I have.
To celebrate the final day of the Masters, I watched basketball!
We're getting near the playoffs folks, and while No. 1 and No. 2 in the East are locked, loaded, and ready to play (so there was nothing tremendous on the line), LeBron didn't get the memo. I swear, I'm gonna fire my memo guy. I'm pretty sure no one's getting my hundreds of memos.
LeBron's well-defined Calves faced off against Paul "Simon" Pierce, Ray "Garfunkel" Allen, and Rajon "Cajon" Rondo in Cleveland. Both Boston and Cleveland had their respective winning streaks--congratulations, gentlemen--and they hoped to use this game to build some steam before diving headfirst into the long, twisty, dark waterslide known as the NBA Playoffs.
So while the game would seem like another great game between the two titans of the East, LeBron literally force-fed each of the Celtics until they puked. I know I almost did. The score after the first quarter was 31-9. Boston was so manhandled that Samuel Adams felt it, right before he rolled over in his grave, reached into his mini cooler and popped open another cold one. (Wouldn't it be weird if Samuel Adams drank Coors? I think imagining him still alive in his grave is probably weirder.)
Like I said in my last post: No Garnett + No Powe = No Eastern Playoffs Championship = No Awesome Christmas Party at Danny Ainge's House Next Year. The best thing about the Celtics is that Marbury--like I mentioned in a previous blog post--has stepped up like I told him to. At least one guy gets my memos. But that's the bottom line of that. Moving on!
Is anyone paying attention to Dwayne Wade? This guy is the Rodney Dangerfield of basketball. Lovable, but still gets no respect.
In an attempt to wrangle some respect, he put up 55 points on the Knicks. While the Quest hasn't been the greatest of teams this year, this was the same Knick team that just took out the Orlando Magic on their home court, so they ain't just whistlin' dixie.
Dwayne "The Rock" Wade had 55 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and a block, but you know what? He'd probably average a triple double like LeBron if he had anybody to pass to. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Wade won't win the MVP race over LeBron, but he better get second place among voters, cause DAMN.
While this isn't what I should be talking about, just one note about the Masters. Angel's win is great, but this is his second major he's won because the leader blew it. Again, don't get me wrong, props to Angel, but it's terrible that Perry blew it, especially since he had so many chances to redeem himself.
-Dave Smith, "The Jewish Jay-Z"
To celebrate the final day of the Masters, I watched basketball!
We're getting near the playoffs folks, and while No. 1 and No. 2 in the East are locked, loaded, and ready to play (so there was nothing tremendous on the line), LeBron didn't get the memo. I swear, I'm gonna fire my memo guy. I'm pretty sure no one's getting my hundreds of memos.
LeBron's well-defined Calves faced off against Paul "Simon" Pierce, Ray "Garfunkel" Allen, and Rajon "Cajon" Rondo in Cleveland. Both Boston and Cleveland had their respective winning streaks--congratulations, gentlemen--and they hoped to use this game to build some steam before diving headfirst into the long, twisty, dark waterslide known as the NBA Playoffs.
So while the game would seem like another great game between the two titans of the East, LeBron literally force-fed each of the Celtics until they puked. I know I almost did. The score after the first quarter was 31-9. Boston was so manhandled that Samuel Adams felt it, right before he rolled over in his grave, reached into his mini cooler and popped open another cold one. (Wouldn't it be weird if Samuel Adams drank Coors? I think imagining him still alive in his grave is probably weirder.)
Like I said in my last post: No Garnett + No Powe = No Eastern Playoffs Championship = No Awesome Christmas Party at Danny Ainge's House Next Year. The best thing about the Celtics is that Marbury--like I mentioned in a previous blog post--has stepped up like I told him to. At least one guy gets my memos. But that's the bottom line of that. Moving on!
Is anyone paying attention to Dwayne Wade? This guy is the Rodney Dangerfield of basketball. Lovable, but still gets no respect.
In an attempt to wrangle some respect, he put up 55 points on the Knicks. While the Quest hasn't been the greatest of teams this year, this was the same Knick team that just took out the Orlando Magic on their home court, so they ain't just whistlin' dixie.
Dwayne "The Rock" Wade had 55 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and a block, but you know what? He'd probably average a triple double like LeBron if he had anybody to pass to. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Wade won't win the MVP race over LeBron, but he better get second place among voters, cause DAMN.
While this isn't what I should be talking about, just one note about the Masters. Angel's win is great, but this is his second major he's won because the leader blew it. Again, don't get me wrong, props to Angel, but it's terrible that Perry blew it, especially since he had so many chances to redeem himself.
-Dave Smith, "The Jewish Jay-Z"
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Celtics Need Luck Of The Irish In Playoffs
I'm a Celtic fan.
One summer at camp, I remember playing an ice breaker with our basketball counselor. Say your name, where you're from, and your favorite basketball player.
"My name's Matt, I'm from Dobbs Ferry, NY, and my favorite player's Michael Jordan."
"My name's Alex, I'm from Westchester, NY, and my favorite player's Michael Jordan."
"My name's Dave, I'm from West Hartford, CT, and my favorite player's Paul Pierce."
"Who?"
"He plays for the Celtics. He's really good."
I was a smart little squirt. No one knew Pierce's name, and those who knew it dismissed it until last year, when Garnett, Allen, Posey and Rondo helped the Celtics win a championship, and end a decade of Celtic despair.
One year later, the Celtics must share their dominance with the Magic and the Cavs, but they've had to face more challenges than these two other games.
Sure, the Magic lost Jameer Nelson, arguably one of the country's best point guards, but at least they didn't lose Howard, the heart and soul of the team. This is the very role player that the Celtics lost in Kevin Garnett.
For awhile, it looked like the Celtics would be okay. Earlier this year, they played one day when Garnett had a bad flu and spread 20-point buttah on the opposition's bread. But that was a short leave for Garnett.
Now, we finally get to see what happens to the Celtics over months without their power player. They struggle against teams they used to blow out. It's not Garnett's play; Garnett averaged about 15 and 8, which isn't that important. But it was his presence. His energy. That's what plugged the Celtics into the NBA Finals.
But lately, every game is a struggle. A gauntlet to get through to the playoffs when their franchise player will return. I gotta admit, it's not like the team has become less entertaining. It's always fun to see which of the Different 3 will step up. Ray Allen one night, Glen Davis' bandaid another night, Rajon Rondo tonight.
But can they win a 7-game series against these East teams that will push them around without inside presence from Garnett, or even Powe? It's a troubling question for a Celtics fan like me. They'll need to reach deep to get that Pot o' Gold at the end of this playoffs rainbow. While three have stepped up, they need that extra person. If they only got someone in free agency...
...OH WAIT. THEY DID.
Maybe it's time that Stephon Marbury stepped his game up, and proved why he was the big deal he was this past year.
And if Marbury fails in that department, we've always got our man Pierce.
-Dave "Ladykiller, but I'm no Tom Hanks" Smith
One summer at camp, I remember playing an ice breaker with our basketball counselor. Say your name, where you're from, and your favorite basketball player.
"My name's Matt, I'm from Dobbs Ferry, NY, and my favorite player's Michael Jordan."
"My name's Alex, I'm from Westchester, NY, and my favorite player's Michael Jordan."
"My name's Dave, I'm from West Hartford, CT, and my favorite player's Paul Pierce."
"Who?"
"He plays for the Celtics. He's really good."
I was a smart little squirt. No one knew Pierce's name, and those who knew it dismissed it until last year, when Garnett, Allen, Posey and Rondo helped the Celtics win a championship, and end a decade of Celtic despair.
One year later, the Celtics must share their dominance with the Magic and the Cavs, but they've had to face more challenges than these two other games.
Sure, the Magic lost Jameer Nelson, arguably one of the country's best point guards, but at least they didn't lose Howard, the heart and soul of the team. This is the very role player that the Celtics lost in Kevin Garnett.
For awhile, it looked like the Celtics would be okay. Earlier this year, they played one day when Garnett had a bad flu and spread 20-point buttah on the opposition's bread. But that was a short leave for Garnett.
Now, we finally get to see what happens to the Celtics over months without their power player. They struggle against teams they used to blow out. It's not Garnett's play; Garnett averaged about 15 and 8, which isn't that important. But it was his presence. His energy. That's what plugged the Celtics into the NBA Finals.
But lately, every game is a struggle. A gauntlet to get through to the playoffs when their franchise player will return. I gotta admit, it's not like the team has become less entertaining. It's always fun to see which of the Different 3 will step up. Ray Allen one night, Glen Davis' bandaid another night, Rajon Rondo tonight.
But can they win a 7-game series against these East teams that will push them around without inside presence from Garnett, or even Powe? It's a troubling question for a Celtics fan like me. They'll need to reach deep to get that Pot o' Gold at the end of this playoffs rainbow. While three have stepped up, they need that extra person. If they only got someone in free agency...
...OH WAIT. THEY DID.
Maybe it's time that Stephon Marbury stepped his game up, and proved why he was the big deal he was this past year.
And if Marbury fails in that department, we've always got our man Pierce.
-Dave "Ladykiller, but I'm no Tom Hanks" Smith
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