5 Things We've Learned About Boston Celtics' Rajon Rondo so Far

Rajon Rondo excels in transition.

Whether it’s fast breaks or adapting to change, the Boston Celtics’ premier point guard has seen plenty of both this season.

In the wake of Boston’s trinity of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen being broken up, Rondo has supplanted the aforementioned Allen’s role in Boston’s Big Three.

Despite being depended on even more now than he ever was before, he is taking the change in stride, and so far he’s helped carry the Celts to a 13-12 record—sure they’re barely clinging to the eighth seed, but Boston is still alive and well thanks in large part to Rondo.

We know Rondo is still one of the league’s best, but what have we learned so far from this season?

Let’s explore five things we should be aware of as Rondo continues to develop and mature as a player and leader.

Rondo Has to Adapt to Change

As we touched on before, the Celtics are a team in transition.

Led primarily by Rondo, the C's now have plenty of new faces, and they’re expecting their versatile floor general to step up, and so far, he’s done so.

Young guys like Jared Sullinger and acquired vets like Jason Terry alike are still getting a feel for their new roles, and having a world-class facilitator like Rondo at the helm helps ease the transitive process.

Without the supremely clutch Ray Allen on the team, this means the plays that will be drawn up in key situations is different, and this means Rondo will have to play a bigger role than before.

Sure, veteran guard Jason Terry is no stranger to scoring when it means most, but we're seeing Rondo being a lot more assertive in key moments.

As witnessed in the Celtics 117-115 double-over time win over the Mavs, Rondo took it upon himself to take the game winning shot, although he missed, it’s a trend that observers of Celtics games, especially the close ones have noticed this season.

In previous seasons, it might’ve been a Paul Pierce isolation on the elbow, a strong side isolation on the block for KG or even a staggered screen for Ray, but now, we’re starting to see Rondo take initiative a bit more.

It also has to be considered that Pierce and KG are 35 and 36 years old respectively, so sure despite adding some youth to the team, Rondo is going to be the anchor in the long-term for the C’s.

Sure, Rondo has always been a fundamental piece of the proverbial Celtics’ puzzle, but now that his role’s importance is even greater, so are the expectations that lie before him.  

This may mean having to step out of his comfort zone as far as scoring more or being depended upon to make clutch shots more than ever before.

So as the obstacles get greater, so will his necessity to adapt and overcome whatever comes his way.

He Is Still an Elite Guard

Of course, anyone who knows basketball knows Rondo is elite, but it’s still crucial to recognize Rondo’s individual repertoire.

Even with all the change and fall-out from the Celtics’ Eastern Conference Finals loss to the Miami Heat in last year’s postseason, Rondo is still arguably a top three point guard, and some might even say the best.

He’s averaging an impressive 14 points and 12 assists per game, the latter of which is the highest per game amongst point guards.

Rondo is also fourth best in the league amongst point guards with 2.04 steals per game, and he also averages 5.3 rebounds per game as well, second best among point guards.

His athleticism and awareness of spacing helps him snatch down boards, and his tenacity on the defensive end and ability to disrupt passing lanes helps him turn defense into offense on the other end of the floor.

He may not be the greatest scorer, but there is no questioning his astronomically high basketball IQ and versatility across the board. 

Thanks to his stellar defense, passing ability, and array of scoring maneuvers, Rajon reminds us that he is still an elite point guard, and there’s no doubt that him being on the Celtics makes them a legitimate title contender year in and year out.

Assists Are Still His Greatest Asset

We’re familiar with his numbers, sure, but let’s examine his ability to pass a bit further and exactly how he still continues to rip apart defenses with his playmaking ability.

Consider Rondo’s skillset—athletic, big hands, quick feet, solid handles and smarts, all of which are useful traits to have in your point guard.

One of the biggest myths in the NBA is that Rondo doesn’t have a jumper, (don’t worry, we’ll get into this a bit later) although this is partly true, this slightly skewed reputation for being a non-threat from the outside in many ways enhances his ability to pass.

Common sense basketball defense would tell you that if a guy can’t shoot, give him space and let him shoot all he wants.

Well, in Rondo’s case, he relishes the opportunity for you to give him space.

Part of why Rondo is such a great passer is his creativity and ability to use the right pass at the right time.

When defenders sag off or slack off as far as denying passing lanes, Rondo is allowed to sit back at the top of the key and survey the court, and sure enough, he’s adept at finding cutters or open shooters in the half-court and in transition.

Whether it’s a one-hop bounce-pass, a no-look dime off a fake, or a even lob in transition, Rondo has an uncanny ability to find his man regardless of what opposing defenses try to do.

It’s also a catch-22, because if you play him tight, Rondo can easily get by with his quickness and handles, and either dish off for an easy dunk or layup, or even finish a shot himself—although he often opts to pass up open shots.

Another fascinating fact is Rondo leads all point guards in the NBA in assists leading to at-the-rim field goals, so when he starts his drive to the paint, he forces defenders to pick their poison—it’s either a Rondo layup, or a Boston big getting an easy shot off their man rotating over to help on Rondo.

His remarkable consistency as far as assists goes is incredible, and although everyone in the league knows he’s going to make mesmerizing plays on any given night, he still continues to surprise with his amazing ability to tear opponents apart using the pass rather than scoring necessarily. 

His Scoring Ability Continues to Improve

Most fans probably know that Rondo’s jump shot is far from phenomenal, but believe it or not, he’s made progress as far as polishing it.

This year on jump shots attempted from 16-23 feet, Rondo connected on over 57 percent of them this season, whereas last season he was only making 39 percent.

This is a dramatic improvement, and as he continues to get more confidence in his jump shot, it’s going to make his collective arsenal of offensive capabilities more lethal than they already are.

This will also ensure that on pick and rolls, it keeps defenders honest, because if they go under, it’s possible that Rondo could easily light them up if he gets in rhythm.

A nightmare of opposing coaches across the league is attempting to contain Rondo when he has his jumper going, in fact, he’s virtually unstoppable once he’s hot, and so far he’s showing that his work in the offseason on his shot has paid off.

Besides his jump shot, so far his scoring numbers as far as field goal percentage goes is a career high 51 percent, compare that to last year when he shot around 45 percent collectively.

His free throw percentage is also up from last year—he’s shooting around 63 percent as opposed to last season’s nearly 60 percent, sure they’re very similar, but even a minor improvement is still an improvement.

What’s great about Rondo’s game is that it will get better with age. Considering he’s only 26 with an off-the-charts basketball IQ, even if his athleticism fades later on, his savvy skillset of fakes and passes will ensure he continues to be productive offensively.

As Rondo continues to sharpen his scoring skills, we will continue to witness substantial improvement across the board, and already, especially in areas like his mid-range shooting, we’re seeing a lot of strides being made.

He Still Won't Go Down Without a Fight

Sometimes, as pertains to sports, you can’t quantify things.

In an era obsessed with computer analytics and statistical algorithms to determine the worth of respective players, ultimately, nothing trumps careful observation of games and understand the intangible worth certain players bring to the table.

If you’ve seen Rondo over the years, and especially this season, there is no question that his grit and demeanor epitomizes everything you’d want in a leader and a competitor.

It doesn’t show up on the stat sheets, (well, not unless you count technical fouls or DNPs) but Rondo is one of the league’s most fearless players.

One event s of far this year that has encapsulated a lot of who Rondo is than when he confronted Brooklyn Nets’ forward Kris Humphries earlier this season.

Now, it would be easy to say that Rondo is an immature and irresponsible player who is willing to risk suspensions or fines rather than play the game without incident, but the reality is, the NBA is a big boy’s league, and the teams who have won championships didn’t do so without a bit of fight and grit in them.

Rondo, despite being a little over almost an entire foot shorter than Humphries has no problem getting in his face after giving a foul to Kevin Garnett that he didn’t take kindly to.

Not only is he standing up for a teammate, but he’s also sending a clear message that he’s willing to do whatever it takes to win and get the job done.

Although he’s been in confrontations before, it’s times like these in which he reminds us that he’s still a fearsome fighter on the court, and he has a warrior-like attitude that won’t back down from anyone—whether it’s having the odds stacked against you in the Eastern Conference standings, or having a seven footer bearing down on you.

Although many may have counted out the Celtics as too old or lacking the talent to really compete for a title, Rajon’s fearless attitude reminds us that as long as he’s the focal point of the team, the Celtics have as good a chance as anybody to truly compete in this league.