Massarotti: Same Old Rondo Continuing Diva Act Down In Dallas
BOSTON (CBS) -- So let me get this straight: Rajon Rondo has been with the Dallas Mavericks for 25 games and roughly two months, and he just got benched and suspended by one of the more accomplished and respected coaches in the NBA. Here at CBS Boston, we like to call this the PITA Principle.
That's P-I-T-A … as in Pain In The Arse.
Once a PITA, always a PITA, folks. That's almost always the way it goes. During Rondo's eight-plus seasons in Boston, the Celtics and their fans routinely bent over backwards to tell us that Rondo was misunderstood, highly intelligent, stubborn and insanely creative. All of it was generally accurate. What Celtics fans always left out was the simple fact that Rondo was never really good enough to be all of those things, which ultimately has forged Rondo's identity as a petulant diva.
In the NBA, especially, the greatest talents are always tolerated. In fact, that is true in all sports. From Manny Ramirez to Kobe Bryant, we can all cite countless examples of players who were ultimately worth the headache because of what they provided between the lines.
If you consistently deliver titles, you can pretty much be as difficult as you'd like.
Earlier this week, in a game against the Toronto Raptors, Rondo ignored Carlisle's play call from the sideline, ultimately prompting the coach to call a timeout and initiating a rather public confrontation. The Mavericks trailed by nine points at the time. Rondo was benched for the remainder of the game and the Mavericks came back to win, all before the confrontation between Rondo and Carlisle continued in the locker room. The latter ultimately led to Rondo being suspended by the Mavericks for one game.
Somewhere, Doc Rivers was doubled over in gut-busting laughter.
As usual, from Boston to Dallas, there is a lot to this story. From the very start, many Celtics fans and followers overrated Rondo's skill set. Rondo's game always has had an artistic flare to it, and the most casual sports fans were left oohing and aahing whenever someone got "Rondo'd." Rondo's flash often covered up the absence of true substance, and the Mavericks are now finding that out.
To wit: In 25 games with the Mavericks this season, Rondo has attempted just 25 free throws, an average of exactly one per game. He has made seven. (Just the other night, Celtics newcomer Isaiah Thomas went 11-for-11 from the free throw line.) For much of Rondo's tenure in Dallas, Carlisle has opted to do exactly what Celtics coach Brad Stevens did earlier this season – sit Rondo in the fourth quarter because of the player's inability to consistently make shots from the free throw line or, frankly, anywhere else.
With the Mavs this season, Rondo is shooting .408 from the field overall and just .412 on 2-pointers.
And this is the guy to whom some Celtics fans wanted the team to commit a maximum contract? Please.
Faced with the prospect of paying Rondo $20 million a year, the Celtics did with Rondo something they should have done a long time ago: trade him. As was the case on the floor during the player's time here, the Celtics and Rondo just couldn't agree on the player's value. That is a nice way of saying Rondo simply isn't as good as he thinks he is, so the Celtics sent him to the Mavericks for a collection of spare parts, a trade exception and draft picks.
Of course, the latest reports from Dallas now are that Rondo doesn't want to re-sign there, either. And the Mavericks could probably live with that if Rondo were to play well for them now, delivering them a second championship under Carlisle's guidance.
As for Carlisle, his role this in is certainly worth mentioning. He is one of the few people in NBA history to have won titles as a player and a coach, and he is widely respected by his peers. (He is president of the NBA Coaches Association, for what that's worth.) Those who know Carlisle say he can be intense and has had to work on his communication skills over the years, but no less an authority than Larry Bird wanted Carlisle to succeed him as coach of the Indiana Pacers following the 1999-2000 season. Instead, then-Pacers president Donnie Walsh opted for Isiah Thomas.
Nice move there, eh?
In his 13 years as coach, Carlisle has won 608 games and has a winning percentage of .591. He has had one – one – losing season. Many believed that the addition of Rondo this season gave Dallas as strong a starting five as any team in the league, and there were those who thought (and still believe) that the Mavericks would be a tough out during the postseason.
Could that still be the case?
Sure.
But it requires Rajon Rondo to start making shots and stop being such a colossal, indisputable and sometimes divisive PITA.
Tony Massarotti co-hosts the Felger and Massarotti Show on 98.5 The Sports Hub weekdays from 2-6 p.m. Follow him on Twitter @TonyMassarotti. You can read more from Tony by clicking here.
