NBA Playoffs: Rajon Rondo's Response to LeBron James Sets Up Game Five Showdown

Note to self—do not go away again during a Boston Celtics playoff weekend.

As much as I enjoyed my all too brief trip to New Orleans, great players build their legacies in the playoffs, and I missed two different players add to their own growing legacies in the two games I missed.

On Friday night, in Game Three, it was LeBron James’ turn to respond to all the questions about his elbow and all the questions about his team losing by 18 points on their home court in Game Two.

I fully expected James to come out firing in the first quarter and thought if the Celtics could survive the initial attack, they would be in good shape the rest of the way. 

They didn’t, and they weren’t.

James did miss his first shot of the game, but then made his next eight. After one quarter, James had 21 points and the Cavaliers had a 36-17 lead.  James finished the game with 38 points (on 14-22 shooting), eight rebounds, and seven assists, and Cleveland cruised to the 124-95 win. 

When I got off the plane on Friday night and saw that score, I was not exactly upset I missed the game.

During my weekend stay in New Orleans, I tried to take full advantage of all the city has to offer.  I listened to some great music, ate alligator sausage cheesecake, had dinner while sitting in the back of a truck, but still managed to read some of the Game Three recaps.  From doing so, I was left to wonder if the Celtics had it in them to respond to James’ Game Three performance.

By now, we all know they did, and we all know the reason was Rajon Rondo.

Rondo essentially said to James, I see your Game Three performance and raise you.  Rondo had a triple-double through three quarters, but was far from finished. He then added eight points, three assists, and seven rebounds in the fourth, leading the way for the Celtics to turn a two-point advantage after three quarters (74-72), into a 10-point win (97-87).

The last time I missed a memorable Celtics playoff game was Game Five of the 1991 Playoffs against the Pacers, when Larry Bird hit his head on the floor, but returned in the third quarter to spark Boston to a win in the series-deciding game.

Back then, it took years before I was finally able to catch a rebroadcast of the game.

This time, I did not have to wait long. ESPN re-aired Game Four at 2:00 a.m., and I made sure to set my DVR. I did not stay up to watch, but did get up early this morning so I could at least see the fourth quarter before heading to work (and I will no doubt watch the rest tonight).

James was relatively quiet throughout the first three quarters, yet, the Celtics led by only two. Had I been watching, that would have worried me a great deal, knowing Boston was a patented James spurt away from being down three games to one.

Rondo would not let that happen. He fueled a 12-2 Celtics run to open the quarter, with four points and a pair of assists.

James, though, would try to get his team back in the game with a quick 10-0 run, during which he had five points and an assist. Cleveland appeared to be seizing momentum and James looked ready to steal a game where he had been outplayed.

But there was nothing to fear, as Rondo and the Celtics quickly extinguished any of Cleveland’s momentum.

First, the Boston defense—and poor offense by Cleveland—combined to limit James to only three shots over the final 5:37, and he missed them all.  And second, Rondo had four points to go with an assist on a Paul Pierce dunk, as the Celtics outscored Cleveland 11-3 over the final four minutes for the win.

The Celtics won a game where Pierce scored only nine points in a foul-plagued 31 minutes. Kevin Garnett picked up some of the slack with 19 points, Ray Allen had 18, and Tony Allen came up big off the bench with 15. In addition to their offense, the two Allens both deserve credit for stepping up defensively on James when Pierce was forced to the bench.

But no question, the story was Rondo.

The Celtics made 34 field goals in the game. Between his made hoops and assists, Rondo had a direct hand in 22 of those, contributing to an amazing 65 percent of Boston's field goals.

Today, I have heard the national conversation center around when Rondo had become the Celtics best player.

It has been a long time coming, but for me, I think I started to see it in Game Six of the 2008 Finals. Rondo’s performance that night was all but overlooked due to Boston clinching the title with a 39-point victory. But the primary reason the Celtics ran away with that game was Rondo.

He dominated every aspect of the game, with 21 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, and six steals. It was his play that allowed the Celtics to have nothing but open looks, particularly in the third quarter. The Lakers had no chance at keeping up with him that night, and the game provided a glimpse into just what Rondo was capable of.

Since then there would be more examples, and as the 2010 season has played itself out, Rondo has left no doubt the torch has been passed to him to lead the Celtics.

As for the Celtics-Cavs series, it has been an odd one—the series is tied 2-2, but at almost no time have the teams appeared evenly matched.  Either Cleveland has dominated or Boston has.

For Game Five, back in Cleveland, Boston has to guard against the fast start by Cleveland. If the Cavs can get out quick, the crowd will be into the game and LeBron’s teammates could feed off of that. A fast start by Cleveland on Tuesday night could result in a repeat of Game Three.

What if it is Boston that jumps out quick? 

LeBron will keep coming at them for sure, but what happens to that Cleveland crowd?  With each Celtic hoop that adds to a lead, the crowd could grow more and more quiet as they worry that it may be the last time they see James in a home Cleveland uniform.  And more important than the crowd, James teammates very likely could start to feel that same pressure.

Which one will it be—Cleveland with the early run or Boston? 

I can see it unfolding either way, and I am not confident making either prediction.  James will no doubt set the pace for Cleveland, and as has become crystal clear, it will be Rajon Rondo doing the same for the Celtics.

(This article was originally posted on 4SportBoston.com)

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