All-Star PG Rajon Rondo decided to take things to vintage mode against the Philadelphia 76ers but his strong effort wasn’t enough as the Boston Celtics dropped another contest in front of their fans at the TD Garden.
The absence of Rondo – who was sidelined for the majority of the season while recovering from the ACL injury suffered last year – certainly hurt the Celtics’ chances but it’s undeniable that the franchise is in a rebuilding mode. This season has been rougher than expected and today’s game against the 76ers is the biggest proof that Boston still has a long way to go to return to respectability in the Eastern Conference.
The Celtics couldn’t solve the Sixers’ offensive plan and Philadelphia ended up getting the road win in a contest between two of the worst teams in the East. Despite the fact that Rondo finished with a triple-double – 11 points, 11 rebounds and 16 assists – the rest of the team couldn’t match up with Philly and looked unable to turn things around.
The collective shooting percentages – 27 percent from three and less than 43 percent from the field – aren’t a good sign and after tonight’s loss, Boston needs to correct several things before the end of the regular season. The Celtics turned the ball over a whooping 22 times and allowed the Sixers to shoot more than 50 percent from the field.
There’s no doubt that Rondo had a strong game for the Celtics. But if his teammates can’t step their game up, then Boston will continue suffering until the regular season ends.