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The Miseducation of Rajon Rondo
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In the offseason, Danny Ainge and his goons made a bold decision. They decided to make Rajon Rondo their point guard sending away Delonte West in the Ray Allen deal and Sebastian Telfair in the KG deal. They could've easily put Rondo in any of those deals and went with Telfair or West but they felt that Rondo was going to be the guy to facilitate the offense. Now we're in the post season and they won't let him.
In the 10 postseason games I have watched (damn, 10 playoff games and we're halfway into the second round... tsk tsk), it's like every time the game goes to commercial, out goes Rondo and in goes Sam Cassell. Cassell was brought in via midseason signing, and his role was put very clear: he is the backup. So why does he get so much PT? Well, because he happened to win a 'ship during Jordan's vacation years, because he played with KG & Allen before, because he was really the missing piece to a team that had already won 50 games without him? No, it's because he was a standout on a team of sitdowns (no offense to all Clipper fans, yea all 6 of you). Personally, I saw no reason for Cassell there. He looks slow on defense, shoots way too much (and doesn't make any), and commits dumb fouls.
If you refer back to my "How Bout Them Celtics" post, you would remember me saying how Rondo/House, if not the most talented duo they complemented each other, their styles were very similar so you could interchange them and the offense doesn't lose a step, with Cassell its two different offenses. Rondo waits for the play to happen, Cassell forces the issue, which messes up the whole flow of the game.
Aside from that, it's killing Rondo's confidence. He's passing up open looks that he would have plenty of confidence taking before. He's like a different player now, who is definitely no longer the guy that made the Celtics management give up the guy they passed Brandon Roy for (inhale....exhale). They are treating him like a rookie, and he's playing like one.
In the playoffs, experience plays a role, but it's not everything. Look at the Hornets: they are playing like they have "been there and done it". Sometimes you just got to let the little guy get a chance. Cassell got his shot back in 1953; let Rondo have his. Cassell isn't trying to teach Rondo: he's trying to take over, and Doc is sitting on his hands thinking, "Hey, he's a seasoned vet. Let him do him," but that attitude is going to kill them eventually. Who do you think matches up better with a young, athletic Delonte West: the young athletic guy who played WITH him, or the 50 something alien guy (yes I had to throw an ugly joke in there its just the way it goes).
You made a decision now stick with it, Rondo helped get you there, let him see it through. He just might turn some heads.
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