I’m not a violent person, but when I hear someone say “Rondo is overrated” I want to slap that person in the face.
Sure, Rondo isn’t even averaging twelve points a game this season but look at the statistic he dominates the league in: assists.
Currently Rondo is averaging 14.1 assists per contest. He bests Steve Nash, the runner-up in that category, by nearly three assists a game.
Although an assist isn’t as glamorous a stat as a point, what an assist implicates is points scored by a team due to passing, something which has become a rare commodity in the NBA.
For every assist Rondo gets in a game, at least a two point field goal is scored as a result. If we consider this, Rondo is responsible for not only the 11.4 points a game he scores but also the 28.2 points a game he contributes as a result of assists (14.1 assists per game x 2 points scored from assist). Even more so, many of his assists come on kick-outs to Ray Allen and Paul Pierce which result in three pointers.
When we combine the points Rondo scores a game to the points he creates for other players through his passing we get 11.4+27.6= 39.6 points a game.
For comparison’s sake, I’ll use this same formula for the NBA’s leading scorer, Kevin Durrant, who averages 27.4 points a game. If we take the 2.7 assists a game he scores, which result in at least two point field goals, we get 2.7 x 2= 5.4 points a game. Thus, Durrant is responsible for 5.4 + 27.4= 32.8 points a game.
Fairly significant difference, right?
Here’s the thing: Rondo plays point guard and is responsible for running the offence. Kevin Durrant, along with other scoring (and MVP) favorites like Lebron James and Kobe Bryant, are scorers; they take shots and make or miss them. Rondo, on the other hand, creates shots for his teammates who either make or miss them.
In fact, so far this season Rondo has only attempted 159 field goals through 16 games played. The only other starter who has taken less than him, Shaquille O’Neal, has also played nearly half as many minutes as him.
How many field goals have the other stars attempted?
Kevin Durrant: 373 in 18 games played.
Lebron James: 376 in 22 games played.
Kobe Bryant: 441 in 21 games played.
My Reasoning:
The more shots you take, the more points you will score (astonishing, isn’t it?)
Lesson Learned: Next time you call Rajon Rondo overrated, consider more than points per game in your argument.
All statistics courtesy of sports.yahoo.com
