<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Four points in four seconds during Tuesday night's preseason game told you everything you need to know about Rajon Rondo. There's 11:25 to play in the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden, and the Celtics are trailing the Knicks 82-77. Gerald Green pulls up for an elbow jumper from the right side, and just after he lets it go, Rondo, stationed at the top of the key, starts making his move to the basket. He can tell this shot is coming up short. Rondo gets about halfway through the lane before elevating over a host of Knicks defenders. Coming out of nowhere, he catches the ball with one hand and throws it down in the same motion for a loud, highlight reel dunk that most guys would have celebrated by posing for the baseline cameras, flexing their muscles or staring at the crowd. 11:23 to play, 82-79 Knicks. But Rondo was already thinking about defense again. As soon as he returned to the floor, Rondo was back up on his feet, in a defensive stance with his hands up and eyes open. And within two seconds, he'd stolen the inbound pass from Channing Frye and was headed back to the basket for a layup. Knicks forward David Lee tried to take a charge in the lane, but on his way to the hoop, Rondo changed his angle in mid-flight, put in a circus shot as he was falling to the ground, and landed upside-down on his shoulders, as if he'd been folded in half. Count the basket, and the foul. 11:21 to play, 82-81 Knicks. The play startled his teammates on the bench. Paul Pierce, inactive in street clothes on the sidelines, stared at the MSG scoreboard replay in disbelief. It was one of those plays you can't believe you've just seen. TiVo was made for this kind of instant highlight. Rondo's reaction to the play? "I shouldn't have missed the free throw," Rondo said after the game. Thank to plays like that, a 29-point performance against the Raptors last week that included an off-balance buzzer-beating three that forced overtime and the electrifying speed that allows him to do things like split double teams off the dribble on pick-and-rolls, Rondo's created quite a stir in just four preseason games. Celtics broadcaster Tommy Heinsohn has already compared some of his plays to those of Bob Cousy and Larry Bird. And while Heinsohn can exaggerate from time to time, and no one is actually commissioning Rondo's bust in Springfield just yet, he does have something in common with these basketball legends - he seems to see plays developing before they happen, or at least before anyone else on the floor. Coach Doc Rivers is certainly impressed with the young point guard but maintains that he hasn't gotten too excited about the kid just yet. "Not really, I'll let you guys do that," Rivers said. "I know who he is and I'm very comfortable with him. He's played great but we're hoping he just continues to improve. As good as he is, there's a lot of room for improvement and I think he will." As for improvement, Pierce said after practice on Monday that Rondo still has plenty of room to grow and pointed to consistency as an area of concentration for the young point guard. "He's had a good camp, he's really matured. I guess two years in college is mature. He comes from a good system and he's getting better every day," Pierce said. "He's just got to understand the NBA, and it's got to be every day. Sometime he takes possessions off or certain parts of practice off. If he could be more consistent with his practice habits, the sky's the limit for him." To his credit, Rondo seems to understand that he's got a lot to learn, and he's made a point of trying to absorb NBA life lessons from the veterans on the team. He points to Theo Ratliff, Michael Olowokandi, Pierce and Wally Szczerbiak as the Celtics whom he tries to emulate. When he sees them going to the trainers for treatment on their aches and pains, he follows suit. He says that the veterans have also stressed the benefits of eating right and getting his rest, so he's changed his routines. Since all of these guys have endured several years in the league, Rondo is looking in the right place for solid advice. Surprisingly, while he seems somewhat quiet off the court, Rondo isn't afraid to be vocal on the floor and doesn't seem shy about telling guys what they need to be doing on the court. He could be seen pulling teammates aside in the first few exhibition games, huddling them up to relay strategy or just to settle the guys down. "I'm the point guard, so if I am on the bench or in the game, I'm going to let guys know what I see out there. I think I'm a great student of the game; I watch a lot of film and break down film. I think I've got the knack of the game, so I'm always telling guys what I think they should do, and I'm also always open to listening," Rondo said. Listening is going to be key to Rondo's success. The point guard position is typically the toughest for young players to learn, simply because NBA offenses and defenses are far more complex than anything that most college teams will run. The decision-making that goes along with the job is also critical; figuring out when to stay with the play or when to look for the next option can challenge even the smartest young players. Then again, Rondo doesn't have to look further than the Boston bench for guidance from a former point guard. "Doc is definitely in my ear telling me when to push it, when not to push it, and he's given me a little leeway to call my own plays too, so that's helping me out with my confidence," Rondo said. "He stays on me, so whenever he stops talking to me, that's when I'll worry." </div> Source
