Rondo to Kings….C’s Need to Pull Trigger Now!

If the Boston Celtics can move Rajon Rondo to the Sacramento Kings for either or both starting guards, Isaiah Thomas or Ben McLemore, I say they had better pull the trigger faster than Quick Draw McGraw ever did.

First and foremost, Rondo can’t shoot a lick from outside of 15 feet and that, in my estimation, will always be a major hindrance to whichever team does acquire the defensive-minded former all-star.

However, if Boston can get either of Sacramento’s gifted backcourt players, they should not hesitate to pull the trigger on this hypothetical trade. In the case of Thomas, sure, he may be small, but he’s as explosive as it gets offensively and he’s really starting to come into his own even more this season after not having much consistency, minutes-wise from former head coach Paul Westphal.

Now, I’m absolutely shocked that the Kings would even consider trading the clearly talented McLemore, seeing as how the rookie shooting guard was one of the most prized picks in last year’s NBA Draft and has an upside as high as any young guard’s in the league.

The Celtics have been on the better end of many, many trades, but this one is a whopper that make even the most dedicated McDonald’s fan switch to Burger King.

C’s Land the Jet!

Veteran shooting guard Jason Terry 

will nullify the loss of Ray Allen.

The Boston Celtics may have lost once beloved shooting guard Ray Allen to their bitter rivals, the Miami Heat, but the good news for Celtics fans that want to see the C’s make another run or two at the title before breaking up their aging core of veterans, is that they landed an equally adept three-point shooter in veteran sniper Jason Terry – and one could very well make the case that Boston won’t miss a beat without the fragile Allen.

Say it ain’t so Ray!

Many Celtics fans view Ray Allen as a
traitor for signing with the Miami Heat.

Is it me Eye On Sports NBA fans, but are you just a tad upset that Ray Allen took half of the money he could have gotten from Boston in order to join the Celtics’ biggest and most bitter rivals, the front-running Miami Heat?

I know Allen mot likely left because he got his little feelings hurt with last season’s news that Boston tried to trade him to Memphis for O.J. Mayo before it was rescinded, but I’m still in shock that a player would join any team that he’s been trying like hell to beat for the last five years.

I know I’m a bit old school, but to me, it just won’t seem right seeing Ray Allen in a Miami Heat jersey, routinely going up against his former Celtics’ teammates. However, I will say that Allen’s move does add some serious drama to what was already a tension-filled battle between two ballclubs that really don’t like each other at all.

Still, I see Allen’s move to Miami as a sad, soul-selling attempt to ride the coattails of Miami’s Big Three and win another championship or two before he rides off into the sunset as the NBA’s most prolific three-point shooter ever.

Even sadder is the fact that Allen must believe that winning another title or two before he’s done is somehow going to add to his reputation as a winner, when in reality, all Allen did was lose a small measure of respect from a nation full of Celtics fans – and Miami Heat haters. 

KG turning back the hands of time too!

Kevin Garnett has turned back the hands of time since 

moving to center a few months back.

Okay Eye On Sports hoops fanatics, I know we just finished talking about the rejuvenation of Boston Celtics’ future Hall of Fsmer Paul Pierce, but what kind of guy would I be to leave out Boston’s even bigger rejuvenation, that of power forward-turned center Kevin Garnett?

KG, ‘The Big Ticket’ or whatever you prefer to call him, has truly turned into a revelation for the C’s and their rabid fans.

Garnett has been transformed from an aging power forward that could barely keep up with today’s younger counterparts, into a suddenly, fleet-footed, sweet-shooting center that has the advantage over almost every 5 in the league not named Andrew Bynum or Dwight Howard.

KG is averaging an impressive 17.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game in the postseason while playing at least 40 minutes in each of the last three games.

Clearly, Garnett has turned up the level of his play after averaging 15.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game during the regular season – and now, Boston looks like it has as good a chance of winning the Eastern Conference as any team – even the Miami Heat!

Pierce shows Hawks why he’s ‘The Truth’… twice!

                Paul Pierce gets his 'Tebow' on after sticking a 

dagger in the Atlanta Hawks in Game 2.

The Boston Celtics’ Big Three have routinely been referred to as an ‘aging team’ whose window of opportunity is either now, closed – or as close to closed as it gets.

Apparently, someone forgot to tell that to Paul ‘The Truth’ Pierce.

The Celtics’ sure-fire Hall of Famer has led Boston to a commanding 3-1 lead over the Atlanta Hawks in their first round Eastern Conference playoff matchup by averaging a stellar 23.3 points per game while completely taking over games 2 and 4 to lead Boston to a pair of convincing victories over the underachieving Hawks (what else is new?).

Pierce scored a game-high 36 points to lead Boston to a solid 87-80 win before coming back with 21 points in Game 3 and an even more impressive 24 points on 10 of 13 shooting in Sunday’s 101-79 rut of the Hawks. Most impressively, Pierce did his damage to Atlanta in just 17 minutes of play after injuring his knee in the second half.

After Boston’s Game 2 win last Tuesday, Pierce said "These types of moments are what being a professional is all about."

Call me crazy, but Paul Pierce doesn’t look very old these days – even against his much younger Atlanta Hawks counterparts. 

I see the light, I see the light! Eating crow on Rajon Rondo!

Rajon Rondo's seriously consistent 

play has made a believer out of me. 

I stand corrected - Rondo is now,

undoubtedly, elite!

It was approximately just one month ago when I continued my career-long bashing of Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo by saying the Boston Celtics should trade their often enigmatic, split-personality floor leader in the hopes of rebuilding a team that is aging faster than Methuselah himself.

However, as I always say, I have to ‘keep it real’ at all times – even when it means eating some humble pie – like I’m about to right now.

Let me begin by saying that I was wrong about Rondo – and can now clearly see that the still-offensively limited point guard – is indeed, elite – even if he doesn’t score the ball the way some of the league’s other ‘elite’ floor leaders do.

Unlike many of today’s shoot-first point guard, Rondo prefers to get his teammates involved first – and that fact has had serious advantages for the Celtics – and Rondo’s mostly veteran teammates.

Rondo’s ability to find an open man and get him the ball in rhythm – is unsurpassed by any point guard in the league right now – and when you combine his often jaw-dropping passing ability with his outstanding on-ball defense and unmatched rebounding – you get an elite point guard.

Better yet for the Celtics is the fact that Rondo appears to have worked really hard on improving his glaring weakness – his inability to connect from the perimeter from beyond approximately 15 feet. Recently, Rondo has displayed a surprising ability to take – and make – several jumpers that have been in the 20-foot-plus range – and that should be a scary thought to point guards around the league.

Man in the middle! Garnett turns back hands of time!

Veteran power forward Kevin Garnett has been

absolutely dominant for the Boston Celtics since 

moving to center almost a month ago.

The Boston Celtics have been steamrolling their opponents for the better part of the last month or so – and maybe it should come as no surprise – seeing as how future Hall of Fame forward Kevin Garnett has raised the level of his play following a national barrage of criticism from his detractors that harped on his previously declining play – and advancing age.

Of course, a move to the center position after Boston lost Jermaine O’Neal for the remainder of the regular season, has also seemed to work wonders for the svelte 6-11 career power forward.

While Garnett has been as active as ever at the defensive end of the floor, it’s KG’s offense that has really been an eye-opener.

Garnett has scored at least 20 points in three straight games, six times in his last 10 games overall and 10 times in his last 18 games overall. Not only that, but Garnett’s sweet jump shot has turned him into a ‘two-fold’ offensive force as he pulls the other team’s center away from the basket with his high-arcing rainbows from 15-20 feet.

"He's on a wonderful stretch," Celtics captain Paul Pierce said after Wednesday night’s win over Atlanta. "The last 20 games, he's been playing just unbelievable." 

Garnett torched the Hawks by nailing all six of his field goal attempts in the game’s fourth quarter

"That was huge," Rivers said. "It was funny because we were about to sub him. I used a timeout because his minutes were low, but he was going on that 12-minutes-in-a-row stretch, which we try to avoid with him. But we had to keep him out on the floor." 

Rookie center Greg Stiemsma said Garnett’s offensive explosions fire the team up

“That’s what he does, that’s KG all day,” Stiemsma said. “We will take those looks any time we can get them, and he can get them whenever he wants. It gets us fired up.” 

Boston baked beans …C’s are scorching!

Kevin Garnett has turned
back the hands of time!

If you’re a Boston Celtics fan (like I am) then you’ve got to be one happy camper these days Eye On Sports hoops heads! The red-hot C’s have won four straight heading and a blistering nine of its last 11 games overall heading into Thursday night while looking like a completely different team than the inconsistent one that played struggled at both ends of the floor earlier this season.

Rajon Rondo is dishing
the rock like never before!

Since I last took to the keyboard, the Celtics have moved Kevin Garnett to center, Avery Bradley into the starting lineup – and most recently, Ray Allen to the bench. Garnett and Rondo in particular, have both raised the level of their play significantly and now, I’m’ thinking the Celtics could be big trouble for every team in the Eastern Conference playoffs, including Miami and Chicago.

Stay tuned Eye On Sports NBA hardwood lovers as the Celtics gear up for one more run at an NBA title!

Um, about that trade Boston!

The Boston Celtics are 

mediocre.

The Boston Celtics were rumored to be involved in talks to move one or more of their ‘Big Three’ just prior to last Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, but the C’s stood pat and didn’t blow up their roster in hopes of making one final championship run in this truncated NBA season.  Now, after seeing the C’s get absolutely crushed 120-95 by the lowly Sacramento Kings on Friday – and smacked down solidly in Saturday’s 98-91 road loss to Denver – and I’ve got to believe the C’s are no threat to do much of anything in the postseason – if they get there.  At an uninspiring 23-21, Boston is currently in seventh place in the Eastern Conference playoff race, just 2.5 games ahead of resurgent New York.

A Quartet of reasons why the Boston Celtics should trade Rajon Rondo

Sometimes Rajon Rondo plays
like a superstar ... while other times
... he looks like a different player.

Before I get started explaining why I believe the Boston Celtics should part ways with often-inconsistent point guard Rajon Rondo, let me just say that I already suspect that I am going to piss off a lot of Boston Celtics fans with this short op-ed on column.

Having said that, as I always say, ‘It’s better to be pissed off than pissed on’ so get over it hard core C’s fans. Besides, if you really think about the points I’m going to make in this article, then you’ll know I’m right about Boston moving its most attractive trade piece.

Okay NBA roundball lovers, with that said let me get started with this fun-filled, yet, eye-opening look at why the storied Boston Celtics should trade Rondo.

Dude Can’t Shoot a Lick!

I know Rondo is averaging a career-high 18.8 points per game this season, but the fact of the matter is that the pass-first floor leader has never averaged more than the 13.7 points per game he did during the 2009-10 campaign.

While Rondo would appear to be a very good shooter with a career mark or 48.7 percent from the field and two full seasons of shooting at least 50 percent, those numbers are mostly due to the fact that Rondo takes a lot of drives to the basket and not much else.

Basically, Rondo’s inability to consistently make jump shots from as close as 15 feet, hinders the Celtics and their offense in a big way as team can mostly play five on four when the C’s are on offense, much like Miami did in ousting Boston in last season’s playoffs.

Rondo Has an On-Court ‘Split Personality’

One game Rondo looks like a blossoming superstar and the next he looks like a nervous rookie scared to shoot the rock from 10 feet away, even when he’s wide open. Until I see otherwise, Rondo’s offensive inconsistencies will remain one of the driving reasons I am calling for the Celtics to move Rondo now rather than later on.

Not A Leader!

Not only does Rajon Rondo have some serious holes in his game, but he is also not much of a true leader if you listen to those that know him fairly intimately. Rondo has butted heads with respected head coach Doc Rivers on numerous  occasions, not to mention having his fair share of issues with some of Boston’s Big Three and other veteran players over the course of his young, five-year, NBA career.

Time To Rebuild

Clearly now, it’s time for the aging Boston Celtics to take some emphatic steps to rebuild their roster with the team’s Big Three (okay not Ray Allen) aging faster than a bottle of cheap wine. By moving Rondo now, the Celtics could work a package where they could receive two or three capable players, picks or a combination of the two. The C’s could take a chance on a young player or pursue a veteran free agent floor leader that’s still somewhere in his prime or close to it. Boston needs quite a few players to kick off its rebuilding phase and moving Rondo for multiple players or picks would be a great start.

To make a long story short, I’m not sure Rajon Rondo would be nearly as good as he is with the Celtics were he playing with another franchise and I believe the Celtics would be better off right now trading away their young floor leader and trying to acquire multiple players or picks that could potentially help the Celtics chase their championship dreams over the next few seasons.

Where's Doc? Celtics in need of a doctor!

Eye On Sports says Boston Celtics head coach
Doc Rivers isn't doing a very good job this season.

The aging Boston Celtics are on life support as they head into the annual all-star break with their collective heads spinning from a trio of emphatic losses to Detroit, Dallas and Oklahoma City – and now, they need a doctor in the worst way … as in Doc Rivers.

Despite being regarded as one of the best head coaches in the game today, I think Rivers has actually done a poor job this season in failing to recognize – and adjust to a couple of very important facts this season.

Celtics' second-year
point guard Avery Bradley.

First and foremost, Rivers should now clearly be able to see that the team’s aging core trio or Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce are playing at a much slower pace now – and simply can’t keep up with their younger counterparts. Making matters even worse is the fact that the veterans are being pushed to their physical limits because of the truncated regular season.

Instead of taking a cue from Western Conference counter[art Gregg Popovich and playing his younger players a lot more, Rivers continues to ride the same aging veterans, even on the second night of back-to-back games.

Celtics' rookie center
Greg Stiemsma grabs rebound.

Instead of playing young players like Greg Stiemsma, Avery Bradley, JuJuan Johnson and E’Twuan Moore, Rivers plays his young players far too sparingly – while leaning on his veterans far too much at this point.

Playing his younger players would also serve a twofold purpose for Rivers and the Celtics as Bradley and his reserve teammates would gain invaluable experience while also saving the Big Three’s tired legs for the stretch run portion of the regular season.

Jajuan Johnson (L), E'Twuan More (R).

I know not many people will call Doc Rovers to task for his recent failures as the Celtics’ head coach, but I will! I always say that I call it like I see it … and from where I’m sitting, Doc Rivers has failed to help his team over the first half of the season – and I’m going on record right now to say that if Rivers doesn't start playing his younger players immediately, Boston could be on the outside looking in come playoff time!

Boston getting beat down!

Kevin Garnett is fading fast.

Despite being a lifelong Boston Celtics fanatic, I think the state of the C’s right now is quite funny!

I know that may not sound right, but I’m sorry … I’m just blown away at the fact that Doc Rivers and President Danny Ainge have let the aging team reach its current state.

I mean, how obvious is it that the Celtics are as slow as a damn turtle?

Ray Allen is still playing at a high level.

Last night’s games against the Thunder further exposed the C’s as a team that can no longer keep up with its younger counterparts’ up-tempo pace – and one that is no longer the defensive juggernaut they once were.

Paul Pierce is slowing down.

Ainge’s trade of Kendrick Perkins last season was absolutely nuts and changed the entire identity the team had formed since putting its current ‘Big Three’ together prior to the 2007-08 season.

Boston’s struggles to score the ball are laughable at this point despite the fact that the team has plenty of capable scorers in Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Garnett, Brandon Bass and Mickael Pietrus.

If the Celtics don’t find a way to speed up their offense and score the ball easier, then I think they could struggle just to reach the playoffs in what is still a mediocre Eastern Conference!

‘The Truth’ and ‘The Big Ticket’

While Ray Allen looks like he could very easily play until he’s 40-plus, I’m thinking it’s becoming clearer by the second that Paul ‘The Truth’ Pierce and Kevin ‘The Big Ticket’ Garnett are no longer the same players they once were, even last season apparently. Pierce is averaging a paltry 14.6 points per game while shooting a pitiful; 37.2 percent from the field in eight games. 

For his part, Eye On Sports hoops heads, Garnett is averaging just 13.5 points per contest while shooting an uninspiring 49.2 percent from the field. The worst part for Boston though is that it looks like both players are going to be wearing Celtic green for the foreseeable future!

Celtics, Big Three's Woes Crystal Clear!

Okay Eye On Sports NBA hoops fans, the Boston Celtics are officially in trouble – and I mean trouble with a capital ‘T’ people. The C’s have lost four straight games heading into tonight’s home date against Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder, including a disturbing pair of losses to the blossoming Indiana Pacers. Boston hasn’t scored more than 87 points in any of their last four games and just looks … well …. Okay, I’ll just say it damn it! They look as old as Methuselah. 

Big Three Not So Big Anymore!

If you don’t know already NBA fans, then I guess you’re hearing it for the first time … the Boston Celtics and their Big Three are in trouble!

Yep, the beginning of the end is here for the Big Three NBA fans and things are not looking very good at all right now with the team clearly lacking the youthful energy necessary to win in the NBA.

The Celtics have some wonderful veteran players – and three clear-cut, future Hall of Famers in their fading Big Three, but what the Celtics don’t have is any young players that can come in and contribute now, more or less, consistently.

In Wednesday’s nationally-televised loss against the Dallas Mavericks, Kevin  Garnett scored 16 points but shot just 4-for-11 from the field, while Paul Pierce scored a paltry seven points on 2 of 5 shooting – and the best player in the Big three trio these days, Ray Allen, nine points on 3-of-8 shooting.

Yep, Boston’s ‘Big Three’ clearly isn’t so ‘big’ anymore.

LeBron's Right on Ray Allen Thoughts!

Very rarely will I ever agree with anything that cry-baby superstar LeBron James says, but I have to give credit where credit is due – and James was spot on correct when talking about Boston Celtics veteran shooting guard Ray Allen recently.

James said Allen "can play until he's just tired of playing basketball," which, appearing from Allen’s play the last two seasons, is not even a question anyone needs to ask.

‘Ray-Ray’ is a 10-time NBA All-Star, the league’s all-time leader in three-pointers made (2,634) and a sure-fire future Hall of Fame inductee. But not only that, he’s clearly looking like best player of Boston’s quickly-aging ‘Big Three’.

Simply put, even at his advanced age, how many shooting guards in the NBA would you take over Allen today?

Exactly, you can count them on one hand!

Allen will be a free agent next summer – and I’m going on record right now to say that if Boston doesn’t resign him – then they’ll be making a mistake of epic proportions – and one that could haunt them for a couple of seasons as well.

The sweet-shooting star of ‘He Got Game’ is looking for a two-year deal worth somewhere in the neighborhood of the current two-year, $20 million contract he’s finishing up this season – and again – I say he’s well worth it and then some!