Some Misconceptions about Rondo's Field Goal Shooting

I come to praise Rondo, not to bash him. For years (right up to the present) donkeys around the country have been spouting the old crap about hos lousy Rondo's jumper is. Apparently, they need to get out of the dark ages.

In truth, Rondo shot only 27% from 16 to 23 feet in his first season. But, the very next year, he was up to 43%. Then, he dipped a a bit (notably in 2010), but was shooting 48% from 16 to 23 feet when he got injured this season. As a matter of fact, his three-point shooting after his first year (when he scarcely took any threes) has vacillated between 40% and his 36% for the current season. I looked these stats up because my impression of Rondo's jump-shooting this season was that he was draining them at a fairly high clip, especially when the Celtics were in an offensive lull.

It's interesting to note that he shoots better from 16 to 23 feet than from 3 to 15 feet. I believe that is because he tends to be on the move when he shoots the close-in shots, whereas he's usually set when he shoots from 16 to 23 feet.

Following are the stats for his career. It's interesting to note that, this season, his number of attempts from the rim to 15 feet declined slightly while he increased his number of attempts from 16 feet or farther considerably.

I'm not really making any point except to chide media dolts because, as usual, when it comes to the Celtics, they sort of make it up as they go along.

Sam

--------- At Rim ------------- 3-9 Feet ------------- 10-15 Feet --------- 16-23 Feet ------------- Threes
----- Made - Att.-- % ----- Made - Att.-- % ---- Made- Att.---% --- Made- Att.--- % ----- Made -- Att. -- %
2007 | 1.5 | 2.7 | 54.0 |||| 0.3 | 0.9 | 33.0 |||| 0.2 | 0.5 | 41.0 |||| 0.3 | 1.1 | 27.0 |||| 0.1 -- 0.4 -- 31.1
2008 | 2.3 | 4.0 | 58.0 |||| 0.7 | 1.6 | 43.0 |||| 0.3 | 0.7 | 45.0 |||| 1.2 | 2.7 | 43.0 |||| 0.1 -- 0.2 -- 39.5
2009 | 3.1 | 5.2 | 61.0 |||| 0.5 | 1.3 | 40.0 |||| 0.2 | 0.6 | 35.0 |||| 0.8 | 1.9 | 40.0 |||| 0.2 -- 0.6 -- 47.0
2010 | 3.5 | 5.4 | 64.2 |||| 0.8 | 1.7 | 50.4 |||| 0.4 | 0.8 | 46.9 |||| 0.7 | 2.3 | 33.0 |||| 0.2 -- 1.0 -- 32.0
2011 | 2.7 | 4.3 | 63.1 |||| 0.3 | 1.1 | 27.6 |||| 0.1 | 0.5 | 31.3 |||| 1.3 | 3.3 | 41.0 |||| 0.1 -- 0.6 -- 35.0
2012 | 2.9 | 5.0 | 58.9 |||| 0.4 | 1.5 | 26.0 |||| 0.2 | 0.7 | 27.8 |||| 1.1 | 2.9 | 39.0 |||| 0.2 -- 0.8 -- 35.7
2013 | 2.9 | 4.7 | 62.1 |||| 0.5 | 1.3 | 39.1 |||| 0.3 | 0.7 | 37.5 |||| 1.7 | 3.5 | 48.0 |||| 0.3 -- 1.4 -- 36.8

facts are stubborn things. But why let them get in the way of an ill-considered opinion?

wonder what his 3pt % is when he is forced to take the shot? Seems to me he started making last second shots and has expanded that. He has definitely improved his jump shot, but his confidence is what has really improved.