I love this decision-making from Rajon Rondo. While leading the break, you can see him eyeballing Ray Allen, who runs the wing and spots up on the arc. The Sixers have a 1-2 disadvantage but are mostly concerned about Allen’s three balls, which allows Mickael Pietrus to make an unmolested baseline cut behind the defense. [...]

Morning Round-up: KG’s limp gone, Marbury’s role, dominance

Posted by Zach Lowe on Mar 5, 2009 6790 comments2009-03-05+13%3A42%3A19Zach+Lowe

• A few tidbits from Dell’Apa’s round-up in the Globe this morning: Doc says KG yesterday “was walking for the first time without a different gait.” Good news: He’s not limping anymore. Bad news: I guess he’s been limping since Feb. 19? Just remember: Our trusty surgeon source told us this would take at least a couple of weeks, but that KG would likely come back 100 percent. Trust in the surgeon.

Also from Dell’Apa: Here’s Doc on playing Steph and Eddie House together, something I didn’t think he’d do as much as he has:

“I never looked at him as a 1 or 2 and I told him that. ‘You’re going to get the ball and you’re going to push the ball up and we’re going to play basketball.’ Our offense is more of a motion anyway. With him and Eddie [ House], whoever gets it on the break, that guy is the point guard.”

Finally, here’s Doc on the Mikki Moore v. Joe Smith debate:

Mikki is a gifted player – he’s long and athletic and he shoots. We’re happy with what we got. We felt we had to get Joe or Mikki. We couldn’t be left out in the cold. Whichever one [was available] first, we got. Joe is a tough defender; Mikki is longer. Joe, just from experience, could be a better defender, but we hope to educate Mikki.”

• Mark Murphy at the Herald is on Marbury duty, and he takes us through Steph’s decision to wear number 8. Or, more accurately, he quotes Steph saying weird things about why he took the number:

“It’s a personal fit for where I’m going,” said a cryptic Marbury, who said his only reason for the request was that it fit his desire for a fresh start.

“(No. 3) was not even a thought for me,” he said of the number he has worn since his earliest years as part of a family tradition with his four brothers.

That’s good, Steph, because it was DJ’s number and you can’t have it. Steph apparently got 15 tickets for family members last night, and other players were stunned at the Steph-inspired media mob that greeted the team in Jersey. Here’s Pierce: “This much media in New Jersey? I’ve never seen that before.” Must everyone mock New Jersey?

• By the way, the team clinched a playoff spot last night.

• Two other links of note: If you haven’t sat down and checked out Henry’s epic breakdown of the traveling rule at TrueHoop, it’s worth the time. I’m about halfway through myself and can’t wait to get to the next half. Good work, godfather. Also: Some evidence that the league is unusually top-heavy this season.

Highlight: Rondo Leads The Break

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Morning Round-up: KG’s limp gone, Marbury’s role, dominance

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