Rondo a key factor tonight vs. Knicks

Posted by Zach Lowe on Feb 6, 2009 1052 commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F2009%2F02%2F06%2Fceltics-knicks-preview%2FRondo+a+key+factor+tonight+vs.+Knicks2009-02-06+17%3A18%3A26Zach+Lowehttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F%3Fp%3D105

Celtics 41-10 vs.
Knicks 21-27

Offensive Efficiency:
Boston: 110.9 (5th in NBA), New York: 107.1 (16th)

Defensive Efficiency:
Boston: 100.4 (1st in NBA), New York: 109.4 (22nd)

This is a crucial game for the Celtics. As we said yesterday, Boston is entering the most difficult portion of its schedule, and they started it with a loss last night.

The last time the C’s lost to LA, it started a 2-7 stretch; if they slide again now, we can probably kiss home court goodbye. The C’s host San Antonio Sunday before playing six straight road games, including five against winning teams, four of which play .667 ball or better at home. The Celtics need a win Friday against the Knicks, and there’s no guarantee it will be easy.

The Knicks have been frisky at home of late. They played both Cleveland and the Lakers tough despite historic MSG performances from Kobe and LeBron, and they are 6-3 in their last nine games overall. They lure teams into playing their brand of fast-paced, bombs-away hoops, which is really the only kind of game the Knicks can win.

All eyes (well, at least my eyes) will be on Rajon Rondo in this game. In their last meeting with the Celtics, Mike D’Antoni had Jared Jeffries guard Rondo. Jeffries played several feet off of Rajon for most of the game, daring him to shoot jumpers and making it very difficult for Rondo to attack the rim. Rajon was timid (1-for-7), the Knicks basically stopped guarding him, and the Celtics finished with a very weak 88 points in a bad loss. If you need some visual refreshing, check out Knickerblogger’s video breakdown of that game.

Afterward, Ray Allen said: “That’s now the blueprint on how to beat us. Put a big guy on (Rondo) and just force him to shoot.

Doc rationalized: “Just because someone gives you a jump shot doesn’t mean you have to take it.”

No, but it helps if you do take them and you can make them. Rondo’s looked better on jumpers lately, but he’s still taking them too rarely. Over his last 10 games, Rondo is 9-for-15 from 15 feet and out–a nice percentage, but one he’s recording on fewer than two jumper attempts per game.

Will the Knicks guard him the same way this time? I think they will — and I’m very curious to see how Rondo responds. The Celtics become a different team offensively if he can hit 15- to 18-foot jumpers with any consistency.

I’d also like to see Kendrick Perkins show some aggressiveness in the post. The Knicks don’t play a true center, which means Perkins will be both a liability because of his lack of speed and an asset because of his ability to overpower any Knicks defender down low. I’d like to to see him back his man down and try to hit some easy jumpers and hooks. Just like Rondo, Perkins elevates the C’s offense to another level when he makes himself a threat.

Expect to see Tony Allen play big minutes tonight with Pierce and Allen coming off the OT game yesterday. TA will either thrive playing at the Knicks frenetic pace or it will accelerate him to the point where he crosses the line from “effectively aggressive” to “totally out of control.”

Let’s hope its the former. The Celtics need this one.