Sunday, April 24th, 2011 at 3:18 pm  |  98 responses

D’Antoni on Rondo: “I’d Like to See Him Play on Minnesota”

Rajon Rondo has been tearing up the Knicks the past week, but Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni thinks his Hall of Fame teammates are the real reason for the success. Via Alan Hahn:

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  • DeeDre

    I’d like to see how any point guard plays in Minnesota. What kinda sore loserish comment is that?

  • celts4ever

    bad loser.

  • Clydesays

    Anyone remember the Nets before Kidd showed up? A talented but underachievers. Then Kidd (still with a shakey jumper) turns them around overnight by making plays, playing d and rebounding. RJ & KMart looked like All Stars then, but haven’t been the same players since. Think Kidd might have had something to do with that?
    To a lesser extent, Nash had the same effect on Matrix, Amare, JJohnson, GHill, etc.
    D’Antoni, of all people should know the value of a good playmaker.

  • RunNGun

    If Rondo played for Minny, they’d be among playoff contenders. D`Antoni needs to shut up and coach. Preach that offense to score more points than their opponents and forget defense… just play zone like the Syracuse Orange. LOL

  • riggs

    @tealish: it isnt black and white like YOU make it, he isnt good with them and then horrid without them as you make it. without rondo they would have never gotten to the finals last year. Now let’s see you try to argue against that fact.

  • paul

    I’m sure Minnesota would love to make that deal, and become contenders overnight.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Rondo actually played with Pierce before Garnett came. And they stunk.
    Garnett made everybody better, just like he did in Minnesota. People don’t really appreciate how much of an impact player dude has been his entire career. There is a reason why many people argued that he was a better player than Tim Duncan for years.

  • Chuck

    Mike can criticize him from ESPN next year. This guy is the most overrated coach in history. A pick-up Y team could score 100 on the Knicks. Their players needed a GPS to locate Allen and Pierce. He is a fraud.

    If he had Rajon on his team they would have won the series.

  • IAMORANGE4EVER

    Basketball is a team sport, which explains why Kevin Garnett didn’t get out of the first round with the Wolves but one time, and that was when he finally had a real point guard in Sam Cassell and a top wing player in Latrell Sprewell.

  • T-Money

    I get what Mike is saying but it’s not because it’s true that you should be the one saying it – especially when that pg is killing you. Rondo could not do what Rose is doing for Chicago or CP3 is doing for NOH. That’s what D’Antoni meant. He’s a very good player with a very specific skill set that is magnified by Boston’s roster.

  • dbestbball

    D’Antoni is a poor coach! He’s overrated and the Knicks are dumb for picking him up. They have been dumb and stupid for many years. Rondo is a great point guard. Knicks have no defense. Boston played pick and roll (basic basketball) and they don’t switch on defense. Anthony Carter keeps a mile distance on defense..WTF! where’s the coaching?

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  • riggs

    @allen: rondo wasnt even getting 1/3rd of the playing time back then that he is now.

  • Manu

    @IAMORANGE4EVER sprewell elite wing? lmao far from it….rondos overrated guy cant shoot from 5 feet away put nash on boston they win 10 titles n im a HUGE celts fan…guys playin wit two top 20 all time in KG n Shaq….playin wit two of the most clutch guys in history in pierce n allen…6 time all star JO…cmon

  • giogolo

    great read, awesome comments. like a shot of NOS.

  • IAMORANGE4EVER

    @Manu: Perhaps my definition of top and your definition of elite don’t align. Hmmm.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Riggs
    He played 24 minutes as rookie.
    The next year they got Garnett and Allen and he played about 30. And put up 10 and 5. He went from shooting 42 percent from the field to shooting 49 percent.
    Garnett makes that team great. Allen and Pierce make Rondo look better. Rondo is still driving the car, and without him playing at a high level the car has a lot of problems getting where it needs to go.
    Mike D is a hater. And he’s right that Rondo might struggle more with lesser players. But Mike D has had great player much of his career. He needs to shut up because his rep is built on the fact that he had one of the best starting fives in the league run his offense, and he had a point guard perfectly suited to that system. That’s it.

  • http://stapledesign.com Spaceship Jay

    I love how truth harshly rubs some fans the wrong way. Co-sign tealish and AllenP, I’ve made that arguement before concerning Rondo. Let me pass the ball to Ray Allen off a KG screen 10 times, and you pass the ball to Beasley off a Love screen 10 times, and we’ll see whose deemed the better PG. Most things are very much so in black and white.

  • celtic #1

    YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING DANTONI?? he s getting fired and rondo just helped bury him and his team by getting the big BROOM !!! lmao the truth is that all the Cs play as a team and thats what makes them ALL look good ,, HEY DANTONI ,, ITS NOT JUST A ONE PLAYER TEAM DUDE !!! THATS WHY YOUR HOME NOW !!! AND RONDO IS STILL PLAYING !!! 20 ASSIST IS NOT AN ACCIDENT PAL !!!! I SEE WHY HES GETTING FIRED !!!LOL

  • http://slamonline.com tealish

    @Riggs ……………..
    Please point to where I said Rondo is “horrid without the Big 3″
    I seriously reiterated the opposite of that, at least 3 times, just so we wouldn’t have this confusion…

  • http://slamonline.com tealish

    Let’s not go the way of strawmen. It’s never productive.

  • celtic #1

    the fact is thats how all point guards make assist by dishing to the open man or the hot shooter ??? whats your point ?? you guys are really laughable just cuz its rondo that does it makes it some how differant ?? wow there sure is lots of haters out there that dont really make logical comments about the game of basketball ,, i guess the celts won the last 2 games AT NY on the road cuz of the REFS ??? lol wow all i can do is lmao !!!

  • http://slamonline.com tealish

    And Co-sign T-Money. D’Antoni shouldn’t have said this, despite the fact that it’s true. And he’s silly for doing so.

  • robb

    I’d like to see Rondo against a good defensive team.

  • Bill

    I finally agree with something D’Antoni says if it wasn’t for the pressure the Celtics big 3 put on you offensively and defensively he would be an average guard. He can’t shoot and depends a lot on Garnett’s defense if it wasn’t for that we wouldn’t even be having this discussion but D’Antoni needs to learn how to coach and hopefully for the Knicks it won’t be in New York because he has shown he doesn’t know how to use his players and how to communicate with them the last 3 years are evidence of that. It showed with Marbury who was trouble but he told him it was a clean slate when he took over then taught him how to sit on the bench all the time saying there was nothing wrong just like Isiah a complete liar.

  • steven

    boston suck no one on that team is great rondo really sucks cant score cant defend cant make simple plays cant dribble the ball minn would turn him down rubio is more talent and he aint even here yet

  • steven

    Yes refs do what nba wants thats why teams like boston and la went to finals neither team is great

  • http://www.angryarab.com Tariq

    Allenp:

    I agree with you that KG is basically the foundation of this team. He (and Thibs) made them an elite defensive team (which really undermines the argument of whoever said Nash would be better suited for Boston).
    All I’m saying is that Rondo has undeniably developed into an elite PG, and that without him there’s no way they win a title or make it to the Finals. The notion that Rondo’s ability is entirely dependent on the quality of his teammates, that he’s basically a mirage which would be exposed with lesser teammates, is ludicrous.

  • http://stapledesign.com Spaceship Jay

    Perhaps it’s just a sign of the times; Truth=Hate these days. “Rihanna can’t sing to save her life.. But in me stating so, I am a hater that does not wish to see Rihanna succeed in life.” Yikes.

  • http://stapledesign.com Spaceship Jay

    @ Tariq; not necessarily.. Rondo is an exceptional defender and facilitator of the Boston offense. However, to not think that Rondo is able to get in the lane and do what he does becasue his teamates aren’t more than viable threats is ridiculous as well. D’Antoni damn sure isn’t the right guy to say it… But he’s right nonetheless.

  • Liam

    Rondo is good and done his job, getting the ball to the open man. The Knicks are coming but probably without Billups. Chauncey is at the end of a brilliant career. It was the Celtics who drafted him first.

  • O’G

    …Of coarse no point guards stats will stay the same if you give them inadequate players….This goes with out saying…. Cris Paul would not be great if you give him inadequate players…DUH… the argument is mute…the C’s have had several point guards that have played with this line up and NONE have shined like Rondo…so except that he IS that good….GO CELTICS

  • J. R. Shaw

    Predictable griping from the loser of a playoff series.

  • Terrence

    Seems to me D’Antoni is still trying to figure out why he got rid of Raymond Felton because for real Rondo abused toney Douglas. Oh, by the way, Rondo is one of the top 5 point guards in the league. And he’s better than any of the point guards on the Knicks roster, Chauncey Billips included.

  • dr.sekret

    Most have u just talk without really saying the truth just like d’antoni…michael jordan who’s arguably the greates player had to get help from pippen and rodman…kobe bryant whined and cried when he didn’t have help…lebron couldn’t do it alone, nash can’t defend so y would boston win ten in a row with him?? Basketball is a team sport I make u better inturn that’ll make me much better duuuhhh??

  • http://stapledesign.com Spaceship Jay

    Wait… So CP3 has more adequate players than Rondo? Cause he just slapped the Lakers last night with a triple double. Think… then type.

  • http://stapledesign.com Spaceship Jay

    You know what, you guys are right. I just remembered Rondo’s great team facilitation and PG skills in the FIBA tournament awhile back when he had different teammates, which proves how good he is without the C’s system or players. Ok I’m done.

  • M Swartz

    Rondo just ran rings around the the Knicks, taking it to the basket at will and that’s the best D’Antoni can come up with. Get real.

  • jackebl

    I’m Chevy Chase and You’re not! We have Rondo and You Don’t!

  • Fab-5 Elite

    Haha, No lie, I told that exact same thing to my boyz like a yr ago when they was comparing him to D-Rose… If you think about it, he wont do as good with the Wolves cause he’s a distributor and not a scorer, and his stats will go down dramatically cause he wont have no-1 to pass the ball to anymore, well he does but they not as clutch as KG, Pierce or Ray Allen. If u a true baller, you know this is so true… He will have to elevate his game by alot!

  • jesse

    Rondo couldn’t make the USA team ill get 20 and he has no chocie but to pass the ball

  • HallEC

    Look at how many of you fools that are entertaining that dumb question/comment from Mike D’antoni. I truly loved how Paul Pierce refused to comment on that same foolish question the media asked him and Rondo after game 4. Jealous and hurt! That’s all D’antoni is at this time Jealous and Hurt! Get over it and enjoy your Fishing trip!

  • Stickslm

    Rondo fits in because he knows how to play “Celtics”
    Basketball. When the Celtics are playing the way Doc wants them to play (Celtics way) then there is no stopping that team. With or without Shaq!

  • terry

    Typical new york.

    “Rondo fits in because he knows how to play “Celtics” basketball.”

    mikie – what part of “4-0″ don’t you understand?

  • http://facebook.com/tronjohnson Chief

    So stoked for a coaching change. You work with what you have Mike, looks like Rondo got that memo. You however refuse to believe that defense wins championships.

  • BostonBaller

    I agree that if you were to put someone like Douglas on the C’s he wouldn’t do what RR does which tells you that it’s not just the future HOFers that make him look good ..If RR went to Minny or the Clips both teams would improve significantly. It does help him to play with those three but he sets up the other players as well. It also benefits those three to have RR so it’s a wash…STAT was STAT before but Nash made it so much easier for him and with NY he was getting the ball a lot more which meant his stats would naturally go up… He’s a beast and I’m sure he’d love to have RR instead of Melo. Peace and have fun 2nite.

  • Mario Chalmers

    wagwon

  • Jer dawg

    D’Antoni can’t coach any defense. As much as I don’t like Celtics I’ll give props to those who can play. Rondo is disruptive defensively. He would absolutely do well anywhere. Not only C’s. Hey, D’Antoni! You can use a defensive player that plays fast. He’ll average 14 apg too running your undisciplined, defensive team. Rondo would be your one man fast break, too. Have another GREAT year, coach! see you in the next round. Oops…

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