The key to winning the 2008 NBA Championship will be the play of the point guards. With Rajon Rondo running the show, point guard is the one position where Boston has the largest advantage in athleticism and largest disadvantage in experience. His L.A. counterpart Derek Fisher is the only Laker besides Kobe with Finals experience and the oldest starter in the Finals (34) for either team. He is a solid shooter and a very smart player. But if Rondo runs the offense aggressively and uses his speed and quickness to his advantage (the opposite of what happened every time the offense struggled this post-season) the Celts will win the point guard battle, the opening game and the title. Fisher has no chance of driving by Rondo, allowing Rajon to play in his face to protect against the three. Having just battled the likes of Bibby, D-West and Billups in the playoffs, Rondo is now battle-tested and has the confidence of his teammates for certain. The Truth just said Rondo was the best point guard he's ever played with in Boston. If he has the same confidence in himself the C's will prevail easily in the opener. Game 1 Prediction: Celts 98-84. MVP: Rondo.
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The other C's point guards of Pierce's career so far....
Kenny Anderson
Milt Palacios
Randy Brown
J.R. Bremer
Marcus Banks
Mike James
Chucky Atkins
Gary Payton
Delonte West
Sebastian Telfair
Eddie House
Sam Cassell
Maybe saying he was the best point guard he's ever played with in Boston wasn't quite the compliment I originally thought. Basically he was saying "he's better than Kenny was when he was here".
DK -
Get real. Rondo as the key?
Point guards will have diminished value in this series.
The Lakers run the triangle offense - everyone touching the ball and constant motion. Derek Fisher will be more of a glorified 2 guard.
The big question for the C's is who will guard Kobe? You can't really have Posey and Allen on the court together (since Pierce and Garnett are such mismatches for the Lakers). You don't want to go small and take away your huge inside advantage - plays into the Lakers game.
Ray Allen can run Kobe ragged on the offensive end and tire him out but Posey is our only lockdown defender to match up with Kobe.
Problem with Ray - what will Kobe do to him after witnessing Joe Johnson and Rip Hamilton torch him?
Interesting dilemna for Doc.
I say the key is the offense/defense matchups with Kobe.
Stick Pierce on Kobe on the defensive end - therefore making Kobe guard Pierce or Ray Allen on the offensive end and give him help when needed.
Run Kobe ragged and exploit the KG/Perk matchup down low all night. It will open up some kick out 3 pointers when the double arrives or Kobe gets lazy.
In the C's 2 wins against the Lakers this year (they were 2-0) Rondo enabled the offense to run smoothly. That is why it's so key.
Kobe is going to score regardless. I'm more worried about Gasol/Odom/Fisher going off for career nights. If they don't combine for 50+ the Lakers have no chance, and I like our D matchups on all 3.
Rondo had 10 assists, 1 turnover vs the Lakers in the first meeting (he sat out the 2nd). I just think Boston is 2 totally different teams when he is running to show at his tempo and playing with confidence. Otherwise they wait too long into the shot clock, take bad shots, and enable the opposition to dictate the tempo of the game.
And keep in mind that Johnson and Hamilton will both be watching the Finals.
As for Allen & Posey, assuming Ray is on his game I'd expect it to be 37 minutes for Ray, 18 for Posey, let Pierce sit for 5-7.
I will be in Los Angeles watching game 1 at a random bar. I will be wearing my Bird Converse Weapons and my Reggie Lewis jersey if I can find it. Rondo is the key, totally agreed.
Off topic for DK, did you see the nba combine pre draft measurements?
nbadraft.net posted them , not sure if official.
Beasley is 6'7 without shoes and 6'8.25 in shoes. I knew there was no way he was 6-9 or 6-10. Can he play PF in the pros?
- Later TB
I agree that if Rondo out plays Fisher that will be big. But i think the bigger factors will be how Perkins plays and how Allen shoots
I agree. Physically for sure (rebounding, blocks, etc.) Perk will be huge, but I am a little perplexed as to how he is being pointed to as if he is Dwight Howard or something as of late. Scorer... ?
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