Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rando says to drop any qualifiers. It’s this simple: He’s the best point guard in the NBA.
In the current edition of Boston Common Magazine, Rondo explained why he’s so adamant about his position atop the league’s floor generals over Deron Williams of Brooklyn, the Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul, Chicago’s Derrick Rose, who is recovering from knee surgery, among others.
“The mental game is where it’s at,” Rondo said. “I would say the game is 80 percent mental and 20 percent physical, for me at least. What separates great players from good ones is performing consistently. I can dominate the game in any number of ways, not just with the numbers.”
Rondo understands that most judge who the best point guard in the NBA by assists, points and steals to name a few. That is just part of the guage, the way he sees it.
“It’s always the whole package,” he says. “Some fans look at a point guard and say he had 26 points, seven assists, and eight rebounds, and they’ll say he had a great game. But there is a lot of talent in the NBA, and eventually that talent catches up with you.
Rondo’s definition of the being the best point guard in the league goes a lot further than what others may think.
“I’ll give you an example: If [head coach] Doc Rivers gets thrown out, I can run the team for the rest of the game,” he says. “I know what plays to call, what sets to call, or when to call time outs. It’s more than keeping track of the score. There is so much more going on that you take for granted on any given night, and there are only so many guys who can run a team when you don’t have a coach. In that category I think I am the best at what I do.”
All that has to translate in the championships.
“The Celtics and their fans don’t just want X number of wins and playoffs,” he says. “We all want championships. . . and the banners prove that.”
Rondo understands that the title of “best point guard” will always be up for discussion. He doesn’t appear to be changing his mind anytime soon.
