Rajon Rondo Demanding Excellence From New Teammates, but Growing as Teacher

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Oct 24, 2010

This is the first time in four years that the Celtics have suited up for opening night without their starting five intact. The five-man core of Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins and the veteran Big Three has been a mainstay in Boston since the fall of 2007, but with Perkins nursing a torn ACL and watching from the sidelines, that continuity is gone.

The C's have two All-Star centers, Shaquille O'Neal and Jermaine O'Neal, filling Perk's void. On paper, that's more than enough talent. The only problem is that turnover in the lineup disrupts the flow of the Celtics' offense.

Last year, the Celtics could run any play in their playbook with ease, and everyone knew where to be. They won't have that luxury this season, and apparently that's a harsh reality for the C's young point guard.

"The great part about Rondo is his basketball IQ," coach Doc Rivers said. "He's the smartest player I've ever coached, or at least in the top two or three. But the bad part about Rondo is he expects everyone to have his IQ. So when he draws up a play and they mess it up, that doesn't sit well."

As he enters his fifth season with the Celtics, the 24-year-old Rondo has grown as a teacher, helping his newer teammates to pick up the team's offensive sets. But it's a steep learning curve when you're working with Rivers' system. Rondo's as competitive a point guard as they come, and he's not the most forgiving teacher.

"But that's good," Rivers said. "It's just like a quarterback. If [Tom] Brady calls a set and the Patriots screw it up, they're going to hear about it."

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