Rajon Rondo
(http://www.businessinsider.com/rajon-rondo-celtics-heat-2012-10)
Let me start this by saying I actually respect what Rajon Rondo has done in his career. When the Boston Three Party formed (Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce) many people cited the point guard position (aka Rondo) as the team's only weakness that could prevent them from winning a championship. He handled that difficult situation very well and, as we all know, the Celtics did in fact win the title that year. That being said, Rondo has recently drifted into the realm of overrated. The reason he has become overrated is because he is a stat sheet stuffer. He led the league in assists last year and was leading the league in assists this year prior to tearing his ACL. He is also a triple double waiting to happen. However, one's true value cannot be defined solely by statistics. It's rare that someone who leads the league in assists can be called selfish, but it seems like he passes so he can lead the league in assists, rather than passing to help the team. This may seem confusing, so let me explain. Rather than passing and keeping the ball moving in order to keep everyone involved on each possession, he dominates the ball until he finds a pass that will get him the assist. It almost seems like he isn't happy unless he's the one who set up the basket. Then there is Rondo's complete inability to hit a jumper on a consistent basis. This greatly limits his ability to take over a game offensively in the way other point guards can (like Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Tony Parker, etc.). Finally, his notoriously bad attitude has a drastically negative impact on his team. Not only does it mess with team chemistry on the court, but it even drove ex-teammate Ray Allen away (and right into the arms of the defending champion Heat). To exemplify this point, the Celtics were 20-23 prior to Rondo's injury, but since then they are 13-4. 'Nuff said.
Dwight Howard
(http://www.ibtimes.com/los-angeles-lakers-news-will-dwight-howard-re-sign-la-761137)
Rewind a short two years ago. Dwight Howard was easily one of my favorite players in the NBA. I loved how happy he always seemed and respected the intensity with which he played defense. Now fast forward back to today. I cannot stand this man. I lost all respect for him after how poorly he handled his contract situation in Orlando. I could rant and rant about his frustrating inability to make a decision, but I shall resist. Howard is considered to be a superstar in the NBA but I'm here to tell you that he falls short of that label. He may still be the best center in the league, but that isn't saying all that much. He has proven that he does not have the ability to be the number one option on a championship team. This is mainly because of his absolutely horrendous free throw shooting. For those of you wondering, he is only making 48% of his free throws this season. That number makes me cringe. Some people use Shaquille O'Neal as an example to say that someone who is awful at free throws can carry a team. That's all well and good, but Shaq had a much more refined offensive game. Howard is, at best, inconsistent in the post. Until he is able to develop a more consistent post game and hit some foul shots, he will not live up to the high expectations people have of him.
Deron Williams
(http://www.waheedatv.com/brooklyn-nets-very-own-deron-williams-chosen-for-forbes-magazine-30-under-30/)
It turns out that Deron Williams is not the superstar that everyone thought he was when he left Utah to go to the Nets. It has become apparent to me that Williams was indeed the product of the brilliant system Jerry Sloan had in place with the Jazz. Long gone are the days where he averaged almost 20 points per game to go along with double digit assists. His efficiency has dropped dramatically since he came to the Nets and is currently shooting 42% from the field. The most disappointing aspect of Williams game, however, is the fact that he is only averaging 7.5 assists per game which is the lowest total since his rookie season. This is surprising because there is plenty of talent on the Nets' roster. So although Williams is certainly talented, he is the not a superstar that can carry a team like many people thought. On a side note, Jerry Sloan deserves way more credit for how great of a coach he was.
DeMarcus Cousins
(http://www.celticslife.com/2012/01/todays-poll-should-celtics-pursue.html)
I'm tired of hearing people talk about how great DeMarcus Cousins could be if he were to get his head on straight. He is almost through his third year in the NBA but still is having the same character issues that were a concern when he was originally drafted. He consistently puts forth lackluster effort and gets frustrated very easily often resulting in him getting into foul trouble. He has also been suspended two separate times this season for behavioral issues. If you watch the Kings play (not that anyone would really want to) you can see him complain to the refs on a regular basis, further highlighting his immaturity. He may have an immense amount of talent, but that can only take you so far. Despite all that talent, he shoots under 45% from the field which is way too low for a big man in the NBA. Sure he's still young and there's still hope that he could mature at some point. But until that time I don't want to hear any more talk about him being one of the best centers in the league. And don't worry, you can trust my analysis of Cousins because I'm not at all bitter that I used a 3rd round pick on him in my fantasy league.....okay, maybe just a little.
No comments:
Post a Comment