Rajon Rondo is a killer!

I’ve been pretty quiet about the NBA Playoffs thus far, having only posted predictions for the first round. There have been some surprises, like the Grizzlies and the Hornets winning in the first games of their respective series, and the Bulls not playing to expectations so far. Another surprise has been how competitive the Knicks were against hte Celtics in the first two games of their first round series. This came to an end last night at the Garden, as the Celtics beasted on New York in a game that wasn’t even competitive. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen combined for 70 points, but the catalyst behind this victory was Rajon Rondo.

Rondo finished the game with a triple double: 15 points, 11 rebounds, and a gaudy 20 assists. When Rondo has numbers like that, Boston will always wins. It’s more than just the stats, although the two are connected. When Rondo puts up those numbers, that means he is playing aggressively, pushing the pace of the game, and seeing the floor and action at least two steps ahead of everyone else. When he plays like that, everyone else on the team follows his lead. Paul Pierce in particular plays much better when Rondo is like this, as he gets more open looks and doesn’t have to work as hard to create his own shot.

More than any player on Boston, Rondo can completely change the course of a game. He is nearly impossible to contain in the open floor and his ability as a passer is unparalleled. Since February, he has been lethargic and hesitant on offense and defense and that is a big part in Boston’s lackluster record over the past few months. If you look at the numbers he was producing in the beginning of the season when the Celtics were rolling, they are comparable to his Game 3 performance against the Knicks.

While it always seems like it’s Garnett that gives the Celtics their swagger, it is Rondo. Look at the team last nite. They were laughing and joking with each other and were just vicious on the Knicks. Compare that to the first two games, where that intensity wasn’t really present until the last few minutes of the games. Look at the playoffs last year. Boston abused Cleveland because of the way Rondo shredded them. More recently, look at the first three games they played against the Heat. Rondo annihilated them and the rest of the team followed suit.

Thanks in large part to Game 3, it is apparent the Knicks are done and that Boston is heading into a 2nd Round matchup with the Miami Heat in what is probably going to be the most anticipated pairing of the entire NBA Playoffs, Finals included. If Rondo plays against them the way he did last night, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade will be cursing out the Celtics for the second straight summer.