Rondo’s performance- best ever?

I saw Michael Jordan’s official coming out party 24 years ago when he scored 63 points in a playoff game against the Celtics. I also saw the famous duels between Bird and Dominique Wilkins 22 years ago and Pierce and LeBron just 2 years ago. All of those games/performances were electric but I don’t think that they were any more dominating than what 24 year old Rajon Rondo did Sunday afternoon at the Garden.

Rondo had 29 points, 13 assists and 18 rebounds. 18 Rebounds!! The most number of rebounds that Kendrick Perkins had in a game this entire season was 16. Kevin Garnett’s best effort was 13. And Rondo is about 9 to 11 inches shorter than his 2 teammates. Size is overrated.

Rondo has become as unguardable as the league MVP on the other team and quite frankly Rondo has been more dominating. The Celtics used to be known as the Big 3 and their teammates. This year, with Rondo’s 1st (of many) all star selection this team began to be known as the Big 4. Now it is quite simply-Rondo’s team. As he goes so goes the fate of this team.

The days of one of the Big 3 dominating a game are gone, not so with Rondo as he proved yesterday in one of the all time great performances in the history of this storied franchises which has had so many incredible playoff performances. 18 rebounds! That is Bill Russell like. 29 points is Bird Like. 13 assists is Cousy like. Yet none of those 3 Hall of Famers ever put together all 3 of those totals in one game. Impressive.

-MD