[HoulihansTX]

Keeping Rondo out of the paint is the key to slowing down the Celtics offense.

LeBron is a shutdown defender IMO. I have seen him in late game situations guard the opposing teams best player, and totally slow down the opposing team offense.

This will most likely effect Lebron on offense, but it remains to be seen.

If Cavs start out with Lebron on Rondo I like the 1stH Cavs -4, and the 98.5UN

Thoughts?

[SparJMU]

Is it official that they are changing the assignment? He had been covering Pierce most of the time?

[cmle123]

i agree since mo william suck at everything

[michalis]

with lebron on rondo I dont see how that little guy can score

[Johnny 55]

Rondo doesnt need to score to dominate the game. Who is Mo Williams gonna cover in this scenario. Ray Allen, good luck with that Cleveland. Anthony Parker also cannot cover Pierce if Pierce decides to wake up from his series long slumber. LeBron chasing Rondo around all game is going to sap his energy as well. Still think Cavs take this game but King James will not cover Rondo the whole game and he will get his calls as the Cavs will and as they have the whole series, look at the series totals for fouls called and free throws shot. Refs call a fair game and this game is a pickem, NBA will not let King James lose this series.

[big0mar]

Lebron has been shutting down Pierce. So really, it won't make too much of a difference. Cavs need to play better team defense overall if they want to win.

[williams22]

I don't think Lebron is going to be on Rondo from the tip, Houli. It is something they may go to, but I don't think they can do it with Mo on the floor.

[kobefanatic]

i think lebron will cover rondo when either west or moon is in the game, they won't do it starting the game, if this scenario happens, parker will most likely cover pierce, mo williams will get killed by allen, mo will is too short to handle allen

[jjcrew48]

I agree with your statement Johnny55 this will cause a lot of problems, as I still feel the celts are a sleeper in the nba. The cavs can still make adjustments throughout the game, Coach Brown is a defensive mastermind. I can foresee the cavs, using Lebron on Rondo at quarters when they feel that Rondo is getting outta control. That can keep Rondo in check, but Lebron will need to worker harder guarding a point guard. This means, he will need more help from his supporting cast. Lebron is a great player but will use more of his energy running around. Cavs will be tested this game, At HOME. Mike Brown is a better coach than Doc Rivers. Doc Rivers is GARBAGE!!!

I feel that the celts are waking up and could bring this series to 7 games. The sleeping monsters in this game could cause a lot of problems for the cavs if Lebron is only showing 80% of greatness on the offensive side. The sleeping Giants = GARNETT, PIERCE & ALLEN.
Inside: Garnett
Outside: Allen
Penetration: Pierce

[WIZARDOFBEANTOWN]

that labron match up will keep rondo out of the paint i agree but w/ parker on pierce that is going ot wake up him in this series and allen with his height will be able to shot over mo williams.this won will be close gl guys

[Snowball]

Doc: We don’t care who guards Rondo
By Paul Flannery
WALTHAM — After Game 4, LeBron James said it was time to “explore” having him guard Rajon Rondo. On Monday in Cleveland, Cavs coach Mike Brown said it was likely going to happen.
That’s fine with the Celtics who have been waiting for this to happen since the series started.
“We don’t care who guards Rondo,” Doc Rivers said Monday. “We’re going to still run out stuff. It’s not like we’re going to stop running our offense. We anticipated it. I’ve only talked about it for three games. We know it’s going to come at some point in this series. When it does we have to find a way of using Rondo and making sure he’s still the facilitator.”
Rivers felt that one of the keys in Rondo’s huge Game 4 performance was that he made things happen off ball movement. This was a key difference from Game 3 when most of the Celtics offense came off one-on-one isolation plays (or rather breakdowns).
Rondo, who sees more gimmick defenses and adjustments than any of the other Celtics combined, isn’t worried about it either.
“It’s happened before,” Rondo said. “LeBron is going to be LeBron. He’s a great help-defender so he’s definitely going to be helping. He’s a good defender. They did that a couple of years ago when Kobe [Bryant] was checking me in the Finals. So, I’m used to bigger guys giving me the shot and challenging me late because of their wingspan.”
Brown has resisted employing the LeBron option to this point and a good reason for doing so is that James has taken Paul Pierce out of the series to this point. If he does take Rondo, that would put Anthony Parker on Pierce, and while Parker is a good, veteran defender, he’s no nearly as physically imposing as James.
“That’s probably one of the reasons they haven’t,” Rivers said. “But they’re going to at some point. It may not be all game. It may be in the fourth quarter. It may be in the second half, out of timeouts. And will be ready for it.”

[Snowball]

Mike Brown is a better coach than Doc Rivers. Doc Rivers is GARBAGE!!!

[EaglesPhan36]

No way LeBron checks Rondo but for a handful of minutes if that. As stated, it would simply shift the mismatch to Allen and Pierce more-so and I think the Cavs should be content with Rondo being the guy who beats them if he does. They do just need to do a better job helping on keeping him out of the lane. You don't need LeBron on the guy to do that. I think it would be the worst coaching move of the playoffs if they stick LeBron on Rondo as a constant thing because I think Pierce would KILL Cleveland without having to worry about LeBron guarding him.

[lyon804]

[quote=jjcrew48;4500963]Mike Brown is a better coach than Doc Rivers. Doc Rivers is GARBAGE!!!



Are you series? I don't reckon any will go down in history as HOF coaches If I had to ride with one I would ride with Rivers. Rivers has 1 championship already and plus he can string sentences together. Have you ever watched or listened to Mike Brown?

[suicidekings]

I agree with your statement Johnny55 this will cause a lot of problems, as I still feel the celts are a sleeper in the nba. The cavs can still make adjustments throughout the game, Coach Brown is a defensive mastermind. I can foresee the cavs, using Lebron on Rondo at quarters when they feel that Rondo is getting outta control. That can keep Rondo in check, but Lebron will need to worker harder guarding a point guard. This means, he will need more help from his supporting cast. Lebron is a great player but will use more of his energy running around. Cavs will be tested this game, At HOME. Mike Brown is a better coach than Doc Rivers. Doc Rivers is GARBAGE!!!

Seriously? I'm not a huge Rivers fan, but Brown is a defensive mastermind now? Please...

[Rixsaw]

Keeping Rondo out of the paint is the key to slowing down the Celtics offense. LeBron is a shutdown defender IMO. I have seen him in late game situations guard the opposing teams best player, and totally slow down the opposing team offense. This will most likely effect Lebron on offense, but it remains to be seen. If Cavs start out with Lebron on Rondo I like the 1stH Cavs -4, and the 98.5UN Thoughts?

Ditto... If he comes out flying into the paint, he will shred Cavs defense apart. Notice that in game 3, he hardly drive the ball into the paint. It has been that way all season. Rondo is an underrated PG.

[douglastdietzold]

So 1st half under the play or maybe a 1st qtr under? U guys got the totals on them I got 1st half 98.

[Goat Milk]

Would be a bad move by cleveland. You cannot let Pierce go 1 on 1 with Parker, and you can't put Mo on Ray, both can exploit those guys easily. The Cavs are just going to have to live with Rondo trying to beat them; hes not going to be able to do it every game.

It's better to let Rondo dominate then both Pierce and Ray Ray get goin.

[ThisGuy]

If Cavs were smart they'd pull Mo off the court. Run with combo of Bron, Jamison, Varejo, Hickson, Moon, Delonte but alas Mike Brown doesn't understand the importance of match ups and just goes with vets. Phil Jackson mixes things up in the PO's but I don't think Mike Brown has the intelligence to play the necessary chess games. Cavs need to have athletes out there against Boston's old legs but instead they go with their least athletic, half court running poo poo platter.

[peeteer]

..with Lebron on Rondo...it makes me think about playing Pierce over. My local bookie has him at 15,5 points line...and Rondo under 18,5. And about coaches. At least in my opinion, Brown is the biggest weakness which Cleveland has.