Sixers vs. Celtics: Rondo Proves He Is a Celtic with Triple-Double in Game 7 Win

For all his idiosyncrasies, Rajon Rondo knows he belongs and last night the rest of the NBA was served notice after his 18-10-10 game saved the Boston Celtics' season.

This particular triple-double, put him in the history books as one of a hand full of players who have had a triple-double in a Game 7. In fact, he is the second Boston Celtic to do so—the first being Larry Bird. 

The Celtics had their backs against the wall facing a scrappy Philadelphia 76ers team in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Each team's signature defense made it a messy, low-scoring affair. Something only a true connoisseur of the sport could appreciate.  

Paul Pierce became the first casualty of the stingy Philly defense—he was called for his sixth foul with 4:10 left in the fourth quarter. The Celtics were left with a gimpy Ray Allen, an older Kevin Garnett who needed help creating his shot and a Rondo who had floundered in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.

In that game, Kendrick Perkins had just ripped up his knee and the team was reeling—especially Rondo, who failed after his best friend went down. He looked at the situation as adversity instead of an opportunity to make sure his team was the last one standing.

Also, "The Big Three" weren't quite ready to invite him to the party.

Fast-forward two years to the 2012 Eastern Conference semifinals, faced with the same opportunity wrapped in a different situation, Rajon Rondo thrived. You could see it in the way he confidently took a three-pointer well beyond the three-point line with plenty of time remaining on the shot clock. The Garden faithful held their collective breath, then exploded with joy as it fell through.

Rondo had arrived—he didn't just demand respect, he took it. He outscored the young Philly squad 11-7 in the fourth quarter by himself and gave his vets another opportunity to bring home Banner 18.

His post-game presser saw him highlight his errors as the reason that Pierce had fouled out and his redemption for his Round 1 Game 2 suspension against the Atlanta Hawks.

Paul Pierce could be seen praising the basketball gods as he pounded the parquet floor with his fists.  Doing the only thing he could do from the sidelines, cheering because he knew he was witnessing the birth of a Celtic.