Let’s put to rest the notion that the Celtics are a better team without Rajon Rondo. That theory, encapsulated here and here and strengthened by the lunatic fringe on sports talk radio, might never have formed in any market other than Boston. It shouldn’t have merit here, either.
The Big Proof offered by Rondo’s detractors that the team performs better without him seems to hinge on Boston’s recent four-game winning streak and the perception that the Celtics point guard is a big meanie. I’m paraphrasing, of course, but the bulk of the anti-Rondo argument points to Boston’s last four games and deep-seated beliefs about Rondo that have more to do with public perception than performance. (The local vitriol toward Rondo is particularly vexing considering the adoring swoons he receives from young fans before each game at TD Garden and the consistent top-10 ranking of Rondo’s jersey in sales.)
Comments
Thank you for an excellent and overdue column.