Rondo has a Triple Double

The Boston Celtics won a must win game last night over the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the NBA playoffs. A 2-0 series hole minus Kevin Garnett would have been untenable. It was a tight game. Ray Allen hit the game winning shot and scored 30 points. However, as the Boston Herald chronicles, even Allen knew the guy that got them through the night was Rajan Rondo.

Rondo had a sick triple-double, 19 points, the 16 assists, the 12 boards. He led the team in rebounding. Repeat a six foot one inch, 171 pound guard led his team, a Celtics team missing its inside mojo, in rebounding. The Herald article has all the good quotes, including the pre-game talk Celtics Coach Doc Rivers had with Rondo. Bill Simmons also wrote a piece on the series and the Rondo vs. Rose battle.

The playoffs saw another excellent performance in Denver. Chauncey Billups led the Nuggets crushing of the New Orleans Hornets. Billups was 8-for-9 from beyond the arc and thirty-six points. The trade of the season was the Mr. Big Shot for Allen Iverson swap. We totally miscalled it here at the Clarion Content somehow imagining that A.I. would blend in a team concept with the Pistons. Whoops! Furthermore, we wildly underestimated Billups impact in Denver. He has the offense so much more organized. He is the lead dog, but he doesn't have to take all or even most of the shots. Even better when it comes down to a last shot he is willing and able to take it.