Two nights ago I got absolutely giddy about the Celtics. That’s very unusual for me as I reserve my giddiness for family, the Red Sox, and all you can eat buffets. But I watched the best back-to-back plays by a player that I’ve ever seen. And now I have Rondo-mania.
On the first play, Rajon Rondo drove to the basket, saw a big defender and turned out to the side to take the ball back to the top of the key. Or that’s what the defender thought. Rondo somehow saw the defender relax (Rondo’s back was to the defender at this point so he must have just known/sensed it), and quickly turned around, drove the baseline and laid it in.
After that basket, the Magic brought the ball down the court against the Celtics. A pass was deflected, and rolled into the Magic backcourt with a Magic player (Jason Williams) in hot pursuit. Williams did not loaf after it, but Rondo somehow closed ground, dove, hit the ball with one hand between the feet of Williams, extended his super-long arm to grab the ball, sprung up without traveling, took a couple dribbles, laid the ball up and scored.
Amazing plays. Back to back. But the most impressive thing to me about Rondo on those plays is that I don’t think there’s any way he would have made them a year ago. He very well may have been able to outthink (the first play) and outhustle (the second play) his opponent in the past. But in the past I’d see him make an amazing play only to have him throw the pass away or bang the shot off the backboard. This year Rondo finishes. In each case he scored. And after that 30 second span in the 2nd quarter, Rondo had psychologically finished the Magic and won the game.
