1.27.2013

Speaking of Bleeding . . .

With the news that Rajon Rondo is out for the season with a torn ACL, the landscape of the NBA has changed. A preseason Finals contender that was already struggling faces the prospect of the rest of the season without its best player. An All-Star starter will not be attending, and a likely playoff team, if shaky contender, faces a possible rebuild.

So let's start looking at the impact of Rondo's injury.

First off, this is a loss for all basketball fans. Rondo's a divisive player among fans, but he's also an excellent star, a fierce competitor -- and arguably the most creative player in the league. The season will be worse without him.

From there, a team that was considering a full blowup anyway based on its below-.500 standing now has a serious decision to make. In the wake of Boston's 100-98 win over Miami, there is going to be a strong emotional reaction by fans and possibly by GM Danny Ainge to let this team ride. The idea is that they can rally around the absence of Rondo and attempt an inspirational run. And you can definitely see the Celtics surging behind the absence of their team leader to a playoff spot, maybe to the second round, and maybe even to the conference finals.

1 comment:

Lex said...

My guess is the Celtics will now see how the remaining four guards play together and how it impacts the dynamics of the game. All four are better shooters than rondo.