Smack / Oct 27, 2010 / 2:35 am

Celtics give LeBron a Cleveland flashback; Lakers get their rings

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Rajon Rondo (photo. Gary Land)

As expected, the majority of the mainstream covered last night’s Celtics/Heat season opener from the “Miami lost” angle more than the “Boston won” perspective. So rather than focus on what went wrong for the Heat — Dwyane Wade played like Dwayne Wayne, and the team generally played like they’d first met at shootaround that morning — show a little appreciation for what the Celtics did right. Like Paul Pierce (19 pts, 9 rebs) being clutch all night, or Ray Allen (20 pts, 5-8 3PA) hitting a huge three in the final minute to snuff out Miami’s late rally … The Celtics ran a clinic on ball movement, offensive spacing, and execution. And Rajon Rondo was the professor at the front of the classroom with the laser pointer. Remember how people used to say Rondo could average 10 assists just by bringing the ball up and handing it to one of the Big Three? Fools. Rondo was directing that offense last night, creating the passing lanes he wanted and passing out candy like it was Halloween. He finished with 17 assists … How many times did LeBron (31 pts) have to look down at his jersey just to make sure he wasn’t still with the Cavs? There he was again, trying to win the game by himself because his teammates didn’t show up. Really, the only other guys on Miami who played worth a damn were Udonis Haslem and James Jones. D-Wade (13 pts, 6 asts, 3 stls) looked every bit like a guy who hasn’t played against NBA competition since last spring, and Chris Justice needed to give himself a ticket … From now through Nov. 16, the NBA is auctioning off game-worn jerseys from the season openers. Anybody want Shaq‘s jersey? That thing was DRENCHED in sweat, and right now it probably smells like armpit and meat sauce … Shaq’s ex-wife was at the Lakers/Rockets game, sitting next to one of Diddy‘s cronies. Shaunie got a lot of face time during Jeanie Buss‘ mid-game interview, a.k.a. those five minutes when you might have fallen asleep … If the Lakers were ripe for a post-championship hangover, the Rockets ran it out of them last night. After Kobe and Derek Fisher picked up their rings for the thumbs, the Lakers got a scare from Houston before Shannon Brown‘s outside shooting and Pau Gasol‘s inside beast-ness helped them pull out a tough win in the second half … Sometimes we think Kobe (27 pts, 5 rebs, 7 asts) can hear the TV announcers. With under two minutes to go and L.A. clinging to a small lead, Reggie Miller noted that Kobe had yet to hit a field goal in the fourth quarter. Right on cue, Kobe blew past Shane Battier for a layup and-one … Houston had briefly grabbed the lead before Steve Blake knocked down a triple with 18 seconds left to put L.A. back up two. With 2.4 on the clock and Houston inbounding near their own basket, Battier hit Aaron Brooks (24 pts, 9 asts) cutting to the rim with a perfect pass, but Blake made Brooks take a tough shot, and Lamar Odom blocked it … On that disputed out-of-bounds call towards the end where Odom touched it last but almost got away with it, what are the odds L.O. did like that “Sportsmanship” commercial and told Phil and the ref that he touched it? … Yao Ming (9 pts, 11 rebs) played a little more than 23 minutes and fouled out. Though he missed a lot of shots, his moves still looked OK, but watching the guy run is painful. Yao moves with all the smoothness of a dry granola bar … On the NBA’s undercard, Portland knocked off Phoenix thanks to a huge fourth quarter from Nic Batum (19 pts, 11 rebs), who hit three threes down the stretch in an 18-1 Blazers run. Brandon Roy added 24 points, 6 dimes and 3 steals, while Steve Nash had 26 points and 6 assists in the loss … We’re out like 82-0 …

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  • CoolBreeze

    @chicagorilla

    Must be a new basketball season with all these early post.

    Good game last night. Let’s see what Miami looks like 2 months from now. We already know Boston will be good.

    Concerning Rondo; the problem is you watched the highlights and not the game.

    About half of Rondo’s assist were off dribble penetration. And as a matter of fact, his first 5 assist were clearly off penetration. He even dribble penetrated on non-assist when Allen or KG missed shots.

    Don’t hate on the brother cause Miami closed up the paint in the 2nd half and he got several assist of of feints, fakes and slight of hands to the open man. That just shows how smart he is (and doesn’t take away or make one forget his dribble penetration).

    He just broke Miami down overall with dribble penetration (did you see that pass to Marquis Grissom late in the 3rd quarter for a layup) and then with motion, misdirection and smarts out top to Allen, Garnett and Pierce.

    Give a brother credit or don’t hate!

  • JAY

    Question….
    In my opinion, Wade and Lebron will not gel like most people think. Reason being, they are both ball dominant wing players who aren’t exactly dead-eye gunslingers. (Kinda like AI playing with Melo).
    If I’m right and they can’t get it together on a consistent basis, what does Riley do?? Trade the new guy, Lebron?? or trade the guy who lured both Lebron AND Bosh???
    Can Wade get used to playing off the ball?? Maybe, but I highly doubt it.

    Here’s when some of you will call me crazy… The Bucks will beat them twice this year. Same goes with the Bobcats. And I think the Heat will go on to win 58 games this year. Definitely not more than 60. Cue the hate…..

  • JAY

    ^…and yes, I said Bobcats. lol

  • MSL

    Both Bron and Dwade need to play off the ball some.

    It will help both of them score and it will help Lebron’s big body and knees rest.

    Lebron should post up more and run and cut off of set plays. It will make him more dangerous and Miami’s scoring more efficient and un-predictable. The same goes for Wade.

    That’s how I think it will work. With neither of the dominating the ball (alternating), while the other works off of set plays or movement.

    Regarding your prediction (no hater here). Based off of last night. Yeah. They’ll win 58. But if they go out and start crushing people, are you gonna go back over 60?

    If Miami doesn’t get help down low; that could be a bigger problem as well.

    Baby Davis and Shaq had their way with us down low (though Shaq via Rondo).

    What happens if Garnett and j. O’neal got into the act?

  • MSL

    @Jay
    My above post was for you Jay.

  • control

    This is pretty fucking funny.

    One game. One game out of EIGHTY TWO. Already people have declared Miami a damn near lotto team, Celts the champs, and Rondo the best point guard in the world. Wrong on all accounts there…

    About Rondo, he ain’t going to get 17 assists many times this season, but he definitely will be shooting 2-9 most games of the season…

    I hope Miami plays James at PG…he’d be best point guard in the league instantly. That lets James dominate the ball, but as a facilitator, and not in a way that he’s trying to create his own shots and icing everyone else out. That plays to everyone’s strengths there.

  • QQ

    It’s not one damn game. It’s that if you’ll gonna carry the hype this was the best time to do it. The first game versus the East champs. That’s what cats are saying.

    Of course some fools it’s over for the heat. To that I say calm the fuck down.

  • jmg

    @JAY

    i feel you on the Bobcats being a nemesis to the Heat. if the refs let Stephen Jackson play D on LBJ without giving him all those touch fouls, they can hang with them. SJax isnt afraid of Lebron and they can put Wallace on Dwade or Bosh and he will give both fits.

  • MSL

    @ Control

    How’s Rondo not going to get 17 assist much? Can you predict that? 17 is not even his career high (while he’s increased his assist total by 2 every year in the league so far). Have you ever watched Rondo pass before?

    How’s Rondo going to shoot 2 for 9 most of the year, when he was a 53% shooter from the field last year (and over 50% for most of his career)? That’s right look it up!

    I know you kinda hatin and feeling yourself. But can you at least hold off, till it’s relevant? Rondo averaged 9.8 assist last year and will only get better.

    Lebron’s best position is not point. Because he’ll get to much wear and tear chasing the other teams point guard. And even if he doesn’t and Wade Chases the other teams point guard, he still spends to much time out top and dribbles the ball too much.

    Lebron needs to cut, play off the ball a little and post up more. Remember Scottie Pippen wasn’t a point guard, he was a point forward.

    We also can’t forget, Dwayne Wade’s career assist average is practically the same as Lebron’s (at 7 assist and Wade actually had 6 last nights to Bron’s 1, 2 or none). And Wade is quicker and lighter than Bron for the job as well.

    If Lebron wants to play the point (like you want him to); he should dedicate himself to it, and stop trying to be a scorer and handle the ball so much. Because his body is too big to take all that wear and tear I think.

  • Marc Polo

    Guaranteed celtics are champs.. Too big and too deep.. Jo, Robinson, big baby, daniels and west off the bench?? Please what other bench is better than that?? Please let me
    know.. Someone?? Anybody.. Much love to the bobcats even tho Jordan won’t spend any money

  • control

    MSL

    LeBron will get too much wear and tear chasing another team’s PG? He might not be quick enough to keep in front of all the pgs in the league, but the fastest pgs in the league are so fast that NO ONE is quick enough to keep in front of them. LeBron is big enough that he can give them that extra step, because he’ll be able to snuff em from behind easy enough (it’s pretty much the only defense he has sometimes). What type of wear and tear to normal pgs put on other pgs? PGS like Nash, Billups, Fisher (haha) and Parker are old men, but still producing like beasts (cept Fish, he is just straight old, but he WAS the starting pg of the champs…).

    You telling me that Rondo is going to average 17 assists? I can easily predict he won’t…that would be breaking every assist record in history I think, I’m not going out on a limb saying he won’t do that. He might average 10-11, which will make my statement 100% true, he isn’t going to hit 17 very often (and for every 17 he has, to average 10ish, he’d have to have a few 4-6 assist games). Rondo is always putting up 2-9 and 2-12 and 2-xx nights…usually any team that just lets him have open space to jack away. He may have shot 50% from the field, but I bet he has one of the lowest fg%s from outside 10ft in the league (including free throws, haha). When you can’t shoot for jack shit, you put up a lot of bad shooting nights…or are you saying Rondo is a good shooter now?

    Rondo is a pro, he just got paid…I’m sure he can afford a jock…he don’t need you cupping his balls, so get off. It’s bad enough that Dime is being paid to put his image all over this site 24/7, like it’s a god damn Crackwhores Weekly Magazine, instead of a basketball joint.

  • Smitty313

    Lebron dominates the ball way too much. He made D-Wade turn into the new Mo Williams.

  • GenKnight

    Miami’s problem? Basketball is a five man game not a three.

    If you got ANYBODY open – pass him the ball!

    Early on Anthony was open for Miami on flashes thru the paint and what did he see – nothing. What did we see? Lebron looking for one of the other Big Two and throwing the ball away

    Bad rhythem occurs when the natural flow gets constipated.

    Doc R has got it right – “Learn to trust your team mates..”

  • AZ

    Wade looked LOST on the court with LBJ dominating the ball..Lebron dominates the ball way too much but i guess thats the only way he knows how to play. It won’t work against Boston D maybe other teams but not a laker, spurs and Magic team.

    “He made D-Wade turn into the new Mo Williams.” But with out the range on the j.

  • Tee

    Was that LeBron’s mom wearing the blinged out Ray Allen jersey? Looks like she might have moved on from Delonte to Ray Ray

  • sh!tfaced

    couldn’t tell if that was Bosh or Beasley playing for the Heat, looked like it was the same left-handed overrated bust out there…

    and shit, forget about the Lakers adding Blake and Barnes, how about Shannon adding three point accuracy to his arsenal?

  • LakeShow84

    IMO

    I think CP3, Melo and Amare would mesh MUCH better than Wade, Lebron and Bosh..

  • AZ

    “Lebron’s points by Quarter: Q1-4; Q2-6; Q3-15; Q4-6. So other than the third quarter, when Pierce was out of the game, the Celtics were up 20 and resting the starters, In the fourth quarter,Lebron didn’t score a lot with the game on the line, he only scored 6 points. Like I said earlier, his stats are misleading. He played well…he wasn’t a beast.”

  • srb

    Hahahahahaahhaaaha

    the lady wearing the shiny Ray Allen jersey was Ray’s mom, not Lebron’s mom.

  • MSL

    @ Control.

    Mmmhhhh. I see you a little angry and slipping Bro. Lol.

    I never said Rondo would average 17 assist. Remember your quote (“he ain’t going to get 17 assists many times this season”). Come on now! I just asked you how can you guarantee that? If he averages 10-12 assist he could come close again. But it was really the spirit of your post (what’s the point on you mentioning the total in the first place) more than anything else. He had a good game and he’s a top notch assist man. So what?

    The reason why he had so many assist (since you brought it up), is because when the Heat players went to help off of his penetration he passed it to the open man). Okay so he would of scored 6-10 more points and had 3-5 less assist. But the Heat knew Arroyo couldn’t guard him and try to help.

    As far as Rondo’s shooting %; Rondo shot almost 53% from the field last year. So how many 2/9 nights is he going to have, really? As a matter of fact; Rondo has been one of the best shooting fg % point guards since he’s been in the NBA. Check the numbers.

    I guess I’m riding Rondo’s nuts; as much as your providing mis-information and hate. Isn’t it obvious. Just relax Man it’s only basketball!

    As far as Lebron playing the point. I was clear. I don’t think Lebron can guard the Rondo’s, etc. at the point guard position. He’s fast running the court. But Lebron is not quick (at least for a point guard).

    And do you think that at this age/stage of his career, Lebron can pound the ball once past half court, set up his offense from behind the arc and try to dribble penetrate from 20 ft away (or more bull his way) into the paint repeatedly in his career and last long?

    Now, I know Wade is there to help that. But your post was about Lebron playing the point guard position.

    It’s a nice thought though. But why you think that practically every small forward and off guards that can dribble, set up and pass the ball either get moved to off guard or small forward? Cause it’s too much work. Same reason why a lot of soft centers don’t want to play Center. It’s too physical for them. Name me another Magic Johnson if you can? There are none (Maybe Michael J Richardson from the Nets at 6’4″+ and Robert Reid of the Rockets, who was 6’8″)! And you noticed neither Magic, Michael J or Robert Reid were big scorers? Too much work to do both (pass and score a lot of points, with true point responsibilities). Didn’t you get the memo? The NBA tried that in the eighties and early nineties after Magic.

    I think Wade and Lebron should share the ball handling, to enhance both players games off screens, cuts, motion, quick passing and running sets.

  • Sporty-j

    Its not that its just 1 game and who have 81 more to go. I have been watching Spoelstra closely for the past 3 years and im telling you the dude cannot coach. He was just throwing the ball into the post for Bosh to go 1 on 1. James looked like he was wearing a Cavs uniform again and he needs to learn how to play off the ball to and work on his post game and fadaway game. That was not coaching at all last night and it looked like street ball. Wade is the only player i will excuse since hes been out but there was no excuse for the rest of our players to look the way they did last night and its as if Spoelstra does not no how to create a play to get Beasley or whoever easy baskets. Spoelstra best play call since hes been the coach is to just give Wade the ball and move out the way. Thats not coaching and they can pay me to call plays like that. Spoelstra only had south florida to see his flaws as a head coach and now he has the whole world to see it magnified by 10. No way hes going to out coach Doc Rivers or Phil Jackson in the future especially since there teams dont have any flaws like we do at the 1 and 5 position. I know Wade is a loyal person and he loves Spoelstra to death. But dude has been out of his league for years. I know he also wants Magloire on this team but we have to make room for Dampier and groom Pittman for the playoffs also. He had a chance to make a first impress that he has what it takes to coach this team and if Pierce would not have gotten hurt. It would have been a blowout…

  • MSL

    @ AZ

    Good point on Lebron’s scoring. I just looked at it that the Celtics took it easy (and yes they did rest Garnett, Shaq and Pierce) and did’t want to blow out the Heat.

    No need to get those guys mad unnecessarily and give them something to shoot for.

  • NYC

    @ Sporty J

    I heard that!!

    Your comments/insight on Spoelstra and if Pierce didn’t get hurt, made a lot of sense (and me think).

    Kool!

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