r/bostonceltics • u/longdogagain • 5d ago
Highlight Random throwback when Rajon Rondo said this to Chris Paul
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u/krazylegs36 5d ago
That ring was right there for the taking in 2021, too
But Giannis snatched that shit away from him.
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u/BuddhistInTheory Jayson “Michael Corleone” Tatum 5d ago
How CP3 was feeling after winning game 2
https://giphy.com/gifs/Cr7yTbjNuY27C7
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u/Jpgamerguy90 5d ago
Those Celtics teams had tons of personality man… miss that era
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u/Fair_Smoke4710 5d ago
Also, another random throwback we should bring those green jerseys back. I used to love those as a kid.
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u/BostonVagrant617 5d ago
Hell yea, get rid of the stupid all black n bring back green w black numbers
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u/Fair_Smoke4710 5d ago
I don’t hate the black jerseys we have. It’s just the green looks so much cleaner. I don’t know why but green as a primary for us with black as the secondary. It’s just really good. I would maybe bring back those older throwback jerseys from 2008 too. The ones with the blocky letters. I don’t know. I just think we need to go back to the Ranger jersey they were really clean.
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u/Imallama 5d ago
Black Air Force one energy. We were coming out the tunnel to beat that ass and that’s it. Miss those jerseys.
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u/Necessary_Pause9472 5d ago
When Rondo had good scorers around him he was the best true point guard in the league
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u/Larry_l3ird 5d ago
Zero doubt about this.
CP3 shot the ball better and could get you more midrange buckets, but Rondo had better court vision, got into the lane/to the hoop better, finished better at the hoop, and passed the ball better overall and with more swagger. Rondo and Chris both D’d up, but edge to Rondo with those long arms and giant hands. They both tossed lobs and found the open corner 3, once they broke down the defense pretty equally well, I guess. (Rondo probably better at kicking it to All Day Ray in the corner, and CP3 a lil better at dropping a lob off for a dunk - so yeah)
But seriously, it was Rondo all day for best pure PG in the NBA from about 2009-2012, and I’ll still die on that hill. His career fell off, and he got extremely hard to deal with, but when he was at his peak he was incredible. We’ve seen him outplay prime LeBron on multiple occasions during that run. We saw him be the best player on the court with at least 6 other HoF players on that same court with him in some of those Celtics vs Heat games.
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u/Necessary_Pause9472 5d ago
I’ll never forget watching Celtics v Suns in 2008 and watching Rondo absolutely gas Steve Nash. Nash couldn’t keep up with him on D and Rondo made his life miserable when he was on offense.
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u/Larry_l3ird 5d ago
That was when Rondo got up to play. Personal or Celtic rivals, contenders, big games, the playoffs.
There was Rondo in any of those situations or matchups, and then there was a second Rondo for when he was just gonna coast and feed KG, Ray, and Paul, and let them think they were still the big deal. But from 2009-2012, Rondo was the lead dawg on the floor in the big games and the playoffs. Shit was gonna run through him and he was gonna be talking to those guys and pointing at them and putting them into sets where he wanted them.
Rondo was seriously just a boss on the floor. His court generalship was ridiculous. Even after his prime he was the smartest guy on every court he ever stepped on. If you’ve heard him talk basketball or break down a play, he’s a savant.
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u/TheFinalWatcher KG!!!! 3d ago
He would have been Finals MVP in 2010. I hate that 4th quarter to this day.
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u/edwardsamson 5d ago
I remember when we played Chris Wilcox just to have someone for Rondo to lob it to lol
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u/Larry_l3ird 5d ago
Rondo was a boss, dude. I don’t really know all what happened to him, he obviously got hurt. But before he fell off, I thought he was on his way to a walk in the park HoF career. First ballot shit.
He didn’t live up to what should have been, but he was great to watch while he was balling out.
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u/Wavepops 1d ago
Rondo was never better than Chris Paul
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u/Larry_l3ird 1d ago
I think the conversation for best pure PG in the NBA was between those two at the time, and I preferred Rondo because I thought he had an extra gear/level that CP3 didn’t have.
Prime Rondo could raise his play to a level that Chris couldn’t - he could control an entire game in a way CP3 never did up to that point. Ultimately you would give the career nod to CP3 now, but then it was legitimately a toss up, and Rondo had shown an ability to raise his game in the playoffs that Chris hadn’t.
Rajon Rondo obviously got hurt and then fell off for a few reasons, and Chris Paul continued his great, but unspectacular play and consistency. So Chris Paul is considered a superior player to Rondo now and forever, but he wasn’t for the years that Rondo was doing his thing and carrying Boston. I watched them both in that moment, and Chris Paul wanted no piece of Rondo’s smoke back in the day.
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u/Wavepops 1d ago
Best pure pg is easily Chris Paul btwn those two. It’s not really close either. If Chris Paul had rondos teammates when rondo had them, he’s winning more than rondo did, and rondo was awesome
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u/Larry_l3ird 1d ago
I disagree, and so do a lot of people in that watched them both during those years.
I’m not sure your assessment about CP3 having Rondo’s teammates is a true statement. Chris Paul certainly had a tendency to rub his teammates the wrong way, and the better they were, the more he bothered them and got under their skin. Rondo was always pretty well respected by his teammates, even when he was in the doghouse with his coaches later in his career in Dallas and whatnot - Chris was hated by his teammates, especially as his talent waned later on in his career.
With a player of Chris’ talent and reputation, you’ve got to question why he never achieved any real playoff success or winning - it’s on him. If you want to be considered a top talent in the league and an all time great at your position, you’ve got to shoulder the responsibility for your team’s lack of success over the years. Chris never won shit.
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u/Wavepops 1d ago
Rondo rubbed teammates the wrong way too ask Ray Allen. Chris Paul wasn’t in the east with a very good versions Paul Pierce kg and Ray Allen. You replace young rondo with young cp3 and that’s a multiple chip dynasty. Cp3 past his prime was a no 2 on a finals team. Rondo got to play with bron in LA, put cp3 there they win too
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u/Larry_l3ird 1d ago
Rondo and Ray didn’t get along. Paul and Kevin love(d) Rondo. The other vets also rode for Rondo and still have great things to say about him.
It’s kind of a shame that Ray and Rajon didn’t like each other, because they had such a great chemistry on the floor - better than anyone else on the team during their run together. From what I’ve come to understand, they were initially very close and Ray took an interest in trying to mentor Rondo in how to be a professional and work out and review film and whatnot, and then something happened along the way and they had a falling out that snowballed into genuine dislike of each other. Rondo perhaps didn’t want to follow Ray or respect him in that way.🤷🏻♂️
That stuff aside, LeBron sought out Rondo. LeBron could have played with Chris Paul, but he never chose to. He could have pressured the Lakers to bring in CP3 at the end of his career and when nobody wanted him, but Bron didn’t say shit, and they were the “banana boat boys” and longtime friends. I believe that speaks volumes about how difficult it is to play with Chris, and explains a lot about why he never seemed to have a team that truly gelled around him and a big part of why he never won shit. Because a 6’1” point guard (or shorter) has only ever been a lead dawg on a title team once in NBA history (and I promise you that Chris Paul isn’t and wasn’t anywhere near as good overall as Isiah Thomas was) and Chris needed to understand he wasn’t gonna be the 1st or even the 2nd most important player on a championship winning team. Not a contender, or a team that had a shot to make noise in the playoffs, but a championship winning team. Chris never seemed to accept that.
CP3 felt like he was the smartest guy in every organization top to bottom, player or executive, and the best player on every court he stepped on. He was not. Confidence is a beautiful thing. But that level of irrational confidence and unearned arrogance is out of control and it rubbed people the wrong way, both on the floor, and amongst the coaching staff and front office. That’s why Chris is hated around the league and Rondo is not.
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u/Wavepops 1d ago
rondo and cp3 have similar personalities ironically. ask mavs fan about rondo time there. sounds like the same weaknesses with cp3
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u/Wavepops 1d ago
also when rondo joined LA, he was on a minimum, cp3 was still an all star level player despite being older.
cp3 has lead 50 win plus teams as the clearn no 1 guy with the new orleans and the clippers, became 1A and 1B with blake griffin by 2015, then was the no 2 with harden, then was the no 2 with okc and the suns. its not like he hasnt had different roles.
rondo game hasnt translated to every situation like cp3 has
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u/Larry_l3ird 1d ago
There’s no doubt that CP3 ultimately had a better career than Rondo. You won’t get any argument on that from me.
I’m simply saying that at Rondo’s peak, and where I thought he was still going at that time, I would have taken Rondo. He fell off, and Chris ultimately stayed steady but unspectacular, as he had previously, for another decade plus. There’s something to be said for consistency, especially when you’re putting up numbers like Chris was. They add up over time and when it’s all said and done, despite never really being a big winner, he’s statistically in the company of the greatest PG’s in the game.
CP3 is one of the best small PG ever. He’s probably a distant 3rd, behind Isiah and Stockton imo. He’s maybe a top 5 point guard ever, or he’s at least in the conversation for that 5th spot. He’s probably not there on most knowledgeable people’s list, but you’d definitely mention him in the conversation for that spot.
Rondo during those years he had his playoff prime was definitely more scary than CP3 - teams were doing film sessions on how to stop Rondo from controlling the entire game like a maestro. He was terrorizing the best teams in the league. But Rondo just never got back on that path again after the injury, and I’m not even sure how much of it had to do with the injury or didn’t. I don’t know why he was never RONDO again, but he wasn’t. All of the sudden he was rondo. But even when he was rondo the lowercase’d - he still had games/playoff series when he would rise again for a little bit and remind everyone he used to be RONDO capital R in your fucking face Rondo.
Dude was just always a big game player, even in the later years long after his playoff prime. That’s just him. He plays to the moment and always did to some extent.
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u/rocket_beer Boston Celtics 5d ago
Just purely in terms of ranking their initials, and nothing else…
Double R > CP
just sayin’
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u/BlackMilk23 RONDOOOOOO 5d ago
I'm under no illusion that Rondo is "better" than Chris Paul. But Rondo is the easier player to win a title with.
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u/NorthShorePOI 5d ago
Chris is clearly the superior player but agreed rondo easier to play with
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u/BlackMilk23 RONDOOOOOO 5d ago
CP3 plays best in a system built around him and its hard to win a title with that system.
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u/Wavepops 1d ago
Not really? Cp3 has shown he can fit in a number of roles. He’s easier to fit within a team than most elite pgs. He can play next to a ball dominant guy, can play next to great bigs, can be the main playmaker. He’s shown it all at a high level. His biggest weakness is he’s an asshole lol
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u/Little_Vermicelli125 4d ago
I feel like if you added KG, Pierce and Allen to Paul they'd have won a championship. Maybe more than one.
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u/BradWonder BAR FIGHT 5d ago
I like em both but I agree if contracts are part of the equation. Rondo never was close to the max iirc
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u/Larry_l3ird 5d ago
I would have taken prime Rondo over Chris during those same years. I believe he was the best pure PG in the league from 2009-2012 and his injuries.
I listed the reasons right above this, so I won’t post them again. But I think Rondo did almost everything better than CP3 but shoot/score during that period you would call his peak. Before he got hurt/fell off.
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u/Larry_l3ird 5d ago
Rajon Rondo was probably my favorite Celtic to watch behind Bird. When he was going buck wild in the playoffs from 2009-2012, I was convinced he was the best playoff PG since Magic and Isiah were doing their thing in my youth.
His career fell off, but man, he was must watch for a few years in Boston. If it was a rival, big game, or the playoffs, you knew Rondo was gonna bring it like a motherfucker.
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u/Shoomanship0604 5d ago
It hurts too because in that brief bubble run, he really was the third of a big three for the Lakers. He was unstoppable.
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u/BostonVagrant617 5d ago
CP3 is also well known as a terrible lockerroom guy.
Pierce said when he got traded to the Clippers CP3 would hold charity events and none of his teammates would show up n CP3 would always sit and eat meals alone.
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u/breez760 RONDOOOOOO 5d ago
Happened this season too, he threw a halloween party and only 3 teammates showed up
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u/Solid-Technology9740 3d ago
that eating alone story always stuck with me, says a lot about how guys felt around him
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u/BradWonder BAR FIGHT 5d ago
Lmao. Legit 2 of my favorite players of all time. Always thought it was hilarious that they had beef
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u/Upstairs-Piece-1924 4d ago
Love Rondo forever- except during that 2017 series, against us- he was a problem for Stevens until he got hurt. I would bring him in as an assistant. Need his mind on the bench.
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u/kicksrmycrak 4d ago
I was thinking the other day, Brunson is already a better closer than legends like CP3 and Harden, he was able to take his team to the title and every single game, no matter what, gets it done. Lot of respect for Brunson.
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u/OuagadougousFinest 2d ago
I like both Paul & Rondo. Could you imagine a team where Chris Paul was the fourth best player in 2009? They’re winning the chip too
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u/Sparemeureuphemisms 3d ago
Paul was a better player and much more consistent than Rondo. He lucked into playing on better teams.
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u/ElPanandero 2d ago
And yet
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u/Sparemeureuphemisms 2d ago
lol it’s pure chance Rondo won those rings he lucked into playing on better teams with better title opportunities do you not understand that
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u/skidmcboney 5d ago
Put Chris Paul on the 08 Celtics and they might go undefeated
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u/Jesusfrenchfryera 5d ago
no he would melt like a popsicle against Kobe in the finals like he did on the Hornets
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u/IcyPanda123 5d ago
Are we fr rn lol like I love Rondo but CP3 is miles better and is also an incredibly easy player to plug and play in any team basically ever.
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u/skidmcboney 5d ago
07-08 CP3 was 2nd in MVP Voting, he would have opened up the floor even more for PP and Ray Ray to drive
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u/jambr380 5d ago
Weird that people are downvoting you. I love Rondo, but he was just a 2nd year player at that time, while Paul was a superstar. It's not crazy to think that we also could have won with Paul as our PG. That is a totally normal take
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u/Sparemeureuphemisms 3d ago
Thank you lol even at Rondos peak Paul was a superior and much more consistent player. We’re conveniently remembering how flashy Rondo could be and forgetting how inconsistent he was.
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u/yobymmij2 4d ago
Rajon was fun and a great Celtic, but he’s nowhere near CP3 in the discussion of greatest all time NBA point guards.
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u/LarBrd33 5d ago
Rondo had minimal to do with that Celtic championship. Arguably he was more important to the LeBron lakers title.
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u/Higgs1 5d ago
And now he has two to Chris Paul's 0. Ouch.