Rondo Rebounds from Road Woes To Star in Clincher

By Scott Tribble
Celtics.com Correspondent
June 17, 2008

Critics called Rajon Rondo many things over the course of the playoffs. Right now, though, only one label is sticking: "Starting point guard of an NBA championship team."

Despite a lingering ankle injury, Rondo came up big for the Celtics in their series-clinching Game 6 victory over the Lakers on Tuesday night. The second-year point guard came within striking distance of a triple-double, scoring 21 points, grabbing seven rebounds, and dishing out eight assists. He also notched six steals on the night.

"Tonight, Rondo was the star," Lakers' Coach Phil Jackson told reporters after the game. "He was the guy out there that made the plays, got the steals, pushed their offense into high drive and created havoc for us."

After starring at home early in the series, Rondo had struggled mightily in Los Angeles. In Game 5, the young point guard played only 15 minutes, shooting 1/7 from the field and generally looking tentative on offense. Teammates Eddie House and Sam Cassell played well in his stead, and Celtics' fans wondered whether the young point would see significant time back in Boston.

Rondo's teammates, however, never doubted him. Ray Allen, in particular, delivered a key pep talk prior to Game 6.

"I talked to Ray about 20 minutes before the game," Rondo recalled. "'Just let the frustration go,' [Allen said], and he told me I could still be a threat to the [Lakers]. I just had to go out there and be aggressive…From the jump, he instilled the confidence in me tonight that he wanted me to be aggressive."

Indeed, even after missing his first four shots, Rondo kept driving the lane, creating opportunities for Allen and Paul Pierce on the perimeter and, perhaps more importantly, making Kobe Bryant expend energy on defense.

"I kept attacking the rim, [making] Kobe play defense," Rondo said. "I didn't want to give him the night off, like I did the past couple of nights on the road."

Despite the occasional struggles, Rondo averaged 10 points per game over the four playoff series, consistent with his regular-season performance. The young point guard actually improved his assist totals, dishing out roughly two additional dimes per game.

After the Game 6 victory and subsequent celebration, the young point guard shared his own perspective on Banner Seventeen for the Celtics.

"It's been a long time coming. Last time we won a championship was when I was born," Rondo said to the dismay of some veteran reporters.

"I'm just definitely excited to be a part of this organization," the 22-year old quickly added. "Going through what we went through last year as a team, all the trades this summer…I'm just glad to be a part of this organization, a Celtic."

That feeling, according to Celtics' Coach Doc Rivers, was quite mutual.

"I was so proud of Rondo because, you know, he was really struggling, and to fight his way through that tonight and to play with the energy and the toughness that he played with tonight was absolutely fantastic," Rivers said. "I think that almost symbolized our year in a nutshell."