Latest news with #RajonRondo
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Alex Caruso said LeBron James and Rajon Rondo taught him how to see plays before they happen: "It's like chess… they're two moves ahead"
On his appearance on "The Old Man and The Three" podcast in 2021, Alex Caruso broke down the core of elite defense. According to him, the best defenders aren't simply reacting; they're predicting. AC explained how reading the game before it unfolds allows a player to be in the right spot without hesitation. He credited that insight to two of the sharpest minds he's shared the court with: LeBron James and Rajon Rondo. Caruso's chess lessons These days, Caruso is a key veteran for the Oklahoma City Thunder, helping guide one of the NBA's youngest teams to a historic regular season record. Advertisement However, his rise to this leadership began much more modestly when he entered the league as an undrafted two-way player with the Los Angeles Lakers. Although the Texas native was "already" 23 when he made his NBA debut in 2017, he was still finding his way at the highest level. For players in that situation, having experienced mentors is invaluable. Luckily, Caruso had not just one but two of the smartest minds in basketball to guide him: James and Rondo. Together, they won an NBA championship in the 2020 bubble. Along the way, Alex wasn't just watching their skills — he was studying their mental approach. James and Rondo didn't simply play; they controlled every moment on the court. Their talent to anticipate plays, guide teammates with clear communication, and stay mentally several steps ahead was like watching a masterful game of chess, the "Bald Mamba" said. Advertisement "They're just so smart, and seeing them operate for a couple of years, and seeing how they would communicate, think, point, and tell people where to go before stuff happened … it's like chess, right? They're two moves ahead," noted the 31-year-old. Related: Walt Frazier admits NBA players were afraid to lift weights back in the day: "Basketball players thought it would affect their shot" Caruso is always one step ahead on defense When raving about Bron and Rajon on the podcast, Alex mentioned that he's tried to pick up on how they read plays before they actually happen. It's safe to say the 6'5" shooting guard has done this with great success in the years that followed, as it's become a signature part of his high-IQ defensive game. Advertisement Caruso's growth as a top defender shows not just in his reputation as a 2023 All-Defensive First Team player but also in the stats. He ranks in the top 10 in deflections this season, clearly showing his ability to break up plays before they fully develop. "If you have to think about what's going on, you're going to be a half-second slow because you have to process it," he said, adding that even being just 0.7 seconds faster can make a real difference — whether it's moving the right way or turning to cover someone. "You gotta know what the other guys wanna do first of all," emphasized the former Chicago Bull. As AC explained, this anticipation also helps him spot opponents' fakes or predict where they might move on the court, sometimes even before they realize it themselves. Advertisement "It's a lot of like recognizing what's happening and what you think's gonna happen," he said. Naturally, shutting down opponents also depends on length, size and quick feet for lateral movement, as the "Bald Mamba" pointed out. But the mental side of it all is just as important, and he shows that better than most players in today's NBA. Related: "It's basically like college but no fun" — Alex Caruso on why there's no asterisk next to the Lakers' 2020 NBA Championship
USA Today
30-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Should the Boston Celtics consider drafting big man Danny Wolf?
Should the Boston Celtics consider drafting big man Danny Wolf? Should the Boston Celtics consider drafting big man Danny Wolf? The Celtics will enter the 2025 NBA draft armed with a pair of picks at the end of the first round and at the start of the second, respectively. And while the University of Michigan center is mocked higher than where Boston could take him at Nos. 28 or 32, is there a way he could slip to the Celtics -- or for Boston to move up to grab him? More importantly than that, is his upside as a rising prospect enough to warrant taking him in the first place, never mind burning assets to move up in the draft? A big man whose passing has been compared to Boston legend Rajon Rondo certainly piques one's attention, but what about the rest of his game? The hosts of the CLNS Media "How Bout Them Celtics!" podcast, Jack Simone and Sam LaFrance, took some time on a recent episode of their show to talk it over. Check it out below! If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network:
Associated Press
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Rick Carlisle's changing style has helped Pacers reach 2nd straight Eastern Conference finals
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle still prefers brutal honesty to nuance. He doesn't sugar-coat mistakes, doesn't fear taking his critiques public and doesn't shield players from high expectations. It's not who he is — and these young Pacers embrace it. Yes, after winning nearly 1,000 regular season games, one NBA title and surviving 23 up-and-down seasons as an NBA head coach, Carlisle has seemingly found the perfect fit in a locker room that views a tough, demand coaching through a more genteel prism. 'A savant,' two-time All-Star Tyrese Haliburton dubbed Carlisle during Indiana's semifinal series. 'When it comes to adjustments and getting the best out of guys, we follow his lead, and his intensity come playoff time is easy to follow. When we have a game like (the Game 3 loss to Cleveland), he sets the tone with our energy, practice, film or whatever.' Carlisle is back in his third Eastern Conference finals not because he stuck to his old-school philosophy, but because he figured out how to adapt to the league's new ways. Instead of routinely calling plays from the bench or complaining when opponents produce 40-point quarters, the 65-year-old Carlisle trusts Haliburton and the Pacers ball-handlers on the floor and now understands high-scoring quarters are just part of today's game — even if he doesn't like it. The transition hasn't come without some rough edges such as the sideline clash between Carlisle and All-Star guard Rajon Rondo in February 2015. 'I would literally give him (Rondo) my play sheet, and he would make calls.' said Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers, who coached Rondo in Boston. 'I remember Rick calling me and the last thing I told him was 'Rick, I may have created a monster, I don't know. You're going to have let him help you on the floor.' It was like 24 hours later you see them getting into it on the sideline because Rondo didn't want to call that play.' The two patched things up later. But in the decade since, things seem to have changed. Center Myles Turner, who grew up in Dallas, believes Carlisle has given the players more freedom to work their magic on the court. New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson also saw that side of Carlisle during his first five pro seasons in Dallas. Brunson and Carlisle will meet for the second straight year in the playoffs Wednesday night in Game 1 at New York. 'Different personnel, but that's just coach Carlisle. With the personnel he has he's going to adapt and going to play with whatever their personnel's strengths are,' Brunson said Monday. 'What he's been able to do there (with Indiana) in a short time is special.' Carlisle's coaching principles are the result of a 40-plus year resume that reads like a basketball history lesson. He was teammates with Ralph Sampson, Larry Bird and the late Bill Walton. As a coach, he worked with stars such as Reggie Miller, Chauncey Billups, Dirk Nowitzki, Luka Doncic and Brunson and endured the pain of playoff losses with some of the game's biggest names — Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, Shaquille O'Neal and the late Kobe Bryant. Carlisle won a championship with the 1985-86 Boston Celtics, one of the greatest teams in league history, and in 2010-11 as the Mavericks coach. And in between he dealt with the fallout from one of he NBA's biggest black eyes, the 2004 brawl between Indiana and Detroit. But Carlisle never shied away from a challenge, and he managed to navigate the NBA's ever-evolving world long enough that he'll head into next season as the league's second-winningest active coach, behind Rivers, and needing seven victories become the 11th member of the 1,000-win club. 'I think all of us have had to change,' Rivers said. 'Where Rick has been always good, in my opinion, he just coaches the team he has, and I think he realized early on with Haliburton, this may be one of those teams where 'I just have to wind them up and let them go.' I think that's why he's a sensational coach.' And Haliburton & Co. have taken full advantage. A year ago, they ended a franchise-worst nine-game skid in the playoffs, won their first postseason series and reached the conference finals for the first time in a decade. This year, they won 50 games and earned home-court advantage for the first round for the first time since 2013-2014. Now the Pacers are four wins away from reaching the NBA Finals for the second time and to nobody's surprise, Carlisle is back on the bench for this run, too. 'He let's players go out there and create,' Turner said. 'I think that helps, especially this time of year, because in the playoffs, everybody scouts, everybody knows your plays and whatnot. So you've got to freelance more. I think his experience with different personnel, different guys in this league, he knows how to adapt.' ___ AP NBA:
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Boston Celtics star makes bold claim after Game 2 Knicks rally
BOSTON — The Celtics entered their second round series against the Knicks as heavy favorites. Shockingly, they've dropped their first two games at home in virtually identical fashion by blowing a pair of 20-point leads in the second half. The defeats put Boston facing a daunting climb to advance in the series, with just 34 teams in NBA history rallying from a 0-2 series deficit (7.3 percent). Only five teams in NBA history have come back after losing their first two games at home in a seven-game series. Advertisement Despite those daunting odds, Kristaps Porzingis sees Boston now turning into underdogs in the series as a good thing for the defending champions. 'In a way, it takes some of the pressure off of us,' Porzingis said. 'Now it's -- I don't know, if you check the odds, maybe the Knicks are the favorites now to win. We were expected to win. For us to be in this hole right now, with our backs against the wall, we have nothing to lose. We gotta go out there, leave it all out on the floor. And again, I think it's a lot of basketball left to be played and we'll see where it goes.' The Celtics were one of the five teams in NBA history to rally from 0-2 deficit at home, beating the Chicago Bulls in six games during the 2017 first round. A Game 2 injury to Rajon Rondo aided Boston's comeback in that series as did a starting lineup adjustment with Gerald Green getting inserted into the fold. Whether a similar adjustment is coming for Boston remains to be seen. However, Porzingis is adamant that the team's best basketball is still ahead of it after a rough start to the series. Advertisement 'We're probably going to look at it and analyze how we could've done a better job,' Porzingis said. 'All throughout the game, we could've probably shot the ball better, did this better then we pull away even more. But they hung around and similar result. It sucks really bad right now. But we got a lot of basketball to be played and let's see where this goes.' The Celtics will have two days off before heading to New York for Game 3 at Madison Square Garden. 'It's definitely a tough situation,' Porzingis said. 'Down 2-0. Again, I've been in this situation on both sides. There's a lot of basketball still to be played. And the momentum can change. Nobody feels sorry for us. We have to go out there and take it each game.' More Celtics content Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
學海無涯 兩冠退役控衛朗度重返大學畢業
退役NBA控衛朗度（Rajon Rondo）在離開校園二十年後，正式從肯塔基大學畢業。他剛完成傳理學士學位課程，獲頒學士學位，成為該校今年的畢業生之一。 這位四屆NBA全明星，成為七位在運動員資格到期後重返校園、完成課程的學生之一。 Rajon Rondo walks the commencement stage and receives his UK diploma in Rupp Arena — Drew Franklin (@DrewFranklinKSR) May 9, 2025 現年39歲的朗度，於2004至2006年間效力肯塔基大學男籃，之後提前宣佈參加NBA選秀，放棄餘下的大學資格。他在2006年以首輪第21順位被選中，展開NBA生涯，初期效力波士頓塞爾特人，並於2008年助球隊奪冠，其後輾轉多隊，並於2020年隨洛杉磯湖人再奪一冠。 朗度最後一季征戰NBA為2021-22賽季。 作者： Kari Anderson 原文： Rajon Rondo graduates from University of Kentucky after finishing undergraduate degree
