With the Celtics up 3-0 in the NBA Eastern Conference Championship, a return to the NBA Finals after a one-year hiatus looks imminent. However, Boston needs to give it their all to win this year. Rajon Rondo has played great all season long, but how much better can he get? Clearly he will never be a primary scorer, and he already does everything else well. So to think he will get a lot better is pretty foolish. Kevin Garnett is playing better in the postseason than he did during the regular season, but clearly age has caught up with him. Paul Pierce seems to be a Celtic for life. Ray Allen will be a free agent, and considering Boston was possibly shopping him earlier in the season, who knows if he will be brought back. And Kendrick Perkins is one temper tantrum away from getting himself into trouble.

Coming into the season, I would have said that Boston’s run in 2008 would be their only one with this core. But these playoffs have proved me, and many other people wrong. But as the years go on, their window closes. That is why the Celtics need to win it all in 2010 for their sake.

by David at the Sports Fan Blog Network

Rajon Rondo’s brilliance for 47 minutes and 58 seconds Sunday night was overshadowed by his inability to even come close on two free throws that would have given the Celtics the lead against the Los Angeles Clippers.


Rondo’s 20-point, 6-assist, 2-steal performance is forgotten because he was unable to convert the last-second freebies, which, along with perimeter shooting, is his biggest weakness.

Rondo appeared unfazed after the Celtics’ 92-90 loss, but not only did he miss the free throws with the score 90-90, his counterpart, Baron Davis, drained a 22-foot, buzzer-beating shot with Rondo looking on helplessly.

Rondo’s success at the line has been an issue most of the season, but, entering last night’s game at Golden State, he improved to 60 percent in December after shooting 38 percent in November. Yet, even after a 7-of-9 showing in a 103-99 loss to the Warriors last night, he’s last on the team at 55.4 percent.

Click here to read the full article – By Gary Washburn of Boston Globe

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He should forget about Chris Paul. He should forget about Deron Williams. He should forget about Tony Parker. He should forget about Derrick Rose. He’s never going to be them and they’re never going to be him. One-upmanship is not the issue. Winning games is all that matters.

Barring some wild, unforeseen turn of events on Causeway Street, Rajon Rondo will be here for at least the next five years, which will encompass much of his athletic prime. He’ll be 28 when the contract expires. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Rasheed Wallace all will be gone. Paul Pierce? Maybe, maybe not. By that time Rondo will be the face of the franchise, the marquee player, the (presumably) perennial All-Star. He will, we must assume, no longer be getting caught up in extracurricular foolishness like he did Sunday night against the Hornets.

Click here to read the full article – By Bob Ryan of Boston Globe

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