"The Rondo Play"

ok we all saw it, we all were left jaw dropping and only words we could summon had religious conotactions to manure.. since i just mentioned it n another thread im left wonderin..

where does "The Rondo Play" rate among some of the other great plays of Celtic Lore and tradition? ya know.. The Coleman play, the Bird to dj pass
"the Havlicek stole the ballplay' ect...

what are some of your other all time favorite plays?

Gerald Henderson's steal that led to our only Championship win Against LA during the Bird/Magic rivalry (1984)

dboss

dboss

Henersons is a great choice.

Rondo's play certainly is a tough one to top. Just recovering the ball would have been outstanding, but having the presence of mind to get up then make the hoop too! (and should have been an AND ONE as Williams had his hand right on Rondo's backside) Makes it short of unreal.

Couple others that come to my mind.

Birds steal of a lazy Isiah Thomas pass then assist to DJ come as close as any. Bird needed DJ to be there!

Hondos put back of his own miss over Jabbar in the 74 series game 6 I believe and just preceeded Jabbar's baseline hook that won the game.

Nellies high bounce shot in game 7 in 69.

but for sheer determination on a single play by a single player that featured BOTH a defensive play and then an offensive play Rondo's is tops as far as I'm concerned.


beat

Beat

I agree with you totally. I was not suggesting that the Henderson play was better..just trying to respond to Matty's question ("what are some of your other all time favorite plays?")

The play that Rondo made is one that I have never seen before. There have been plenty of steals made that led to baskets but his still is the most outstanding one that I can recall.

dboss

dboss

The Henderson steal and basket came at a crucial time in that game, and for importance at the time it happened that has to rank above Rondos. But as we both seem to agree on, taking it as a play by itself, by ONE player, I've got nothing to really compare it to in my memory.

And Rondo is still a pup too!

beat

Yeah, but Cowens won the distance slide championship.

Sam

And just for the sake of follow up. After Henderson tied it, wasn't this the game that Magic virtually dribbled the clock down to next to nothinbg, then passed the ball to ? who had no time for a potential winning shot?

beat

Guess it was.

Henderson's game-saving steal stunned the Lakers, to the point where Johnson let the final seconds of regulation tick away without getting a shot off. The Celtics went on to win 124-121 in overtime, with Henderson setting up Scott Wedman for the key basket, and eventually won the series in seven games for their 15th NBA Championship.

"To be honest, if it wasn't for that steal, we probably would have been swept," said Bird.

"What will I remember most from that series?" said Lakers coach Pat Riley. "Simple. Game 2. Wothy's pass to Scott. I could see the seams of the ball, like it was spinning in slow motion, but I couldn't do anything about it."

"I guess what I'll be remembered for in my career is that steal," said Henderson. "People mention it to me all the time. But in that same game, in overtime, I like the play where I set up Scott Wedman for the winning jumper. That goes unnoticed, but I appreciate that play more than the steal. Those were the two points that won the game."

http://www.nba.com/history/hendersonsteal_moments.html


beat

Beat,

There was a 4th steal:

Havlicek's play (Game 7, 1965 ECF):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdMPSYtQeIQ&feature=related


Henderson's play (Game 2, 1984 finals):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ui-iLWBugI&feature=related


Bird's play (1987):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkkmOb8wCJY&feature=related


ML Carr steals the ball (at 8:25 of this clip) which seals the deal for the Game 4, 1984 finals win:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdOCiA4-Gyg

GYSO

yeah I know about those too.

All but ML's play came at very crucial moments but all but Henderson's involved either more than one player or a player doing one thing. And it seemed they were preceeded by a somewhat "bonehead play" with Russ hitting the wire, Johnson throwing a lazy pass as was the case with Isaih.

Rondo combined a stunning defensive hustle play into two points, but it was not at a critical time of the game.

beat

I love the play where Larry gathers in his own rebound and makes the shot vs. Philly:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN5Gf4O9OiY

W

That was against Houston not Philly!

beat

No wonder Dr. J didn't challenge Larry's shot!

Yeah it was a flat footed 7-3 footer by the name of Ralph Sampson #50 that was watching that play!

beat

For me, the only thing that drops the Bird steal out of first is the fact that the Celtics did not go on to win the championship that season. If these are all stand alone heorics, that one had to be my favorite because you want to talk about hate, the Celtics and Detroit were vicious, Rambis aside. Not winning the championship that season taints it for me though. All the rest of those listed have championship implications or results for them.

Simple as 1-2-3:

1. Which single championship best defines the unique blend of heart, tradition and excellence that are collectively known as the Boston Celtics?

2. What was the pivotal moment in that championship? The last-instant play that, in a cauldron of unbelievable pressure, singlehandedly converted a sure game and series defeat into a springboard to victory?

3. How quintessentially Celtic-like is the fact that the play involved a team effort rather than the heroics of a single individual or two?

Therein lies the answer to the question posed by this thread.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR7ceotp-Uk

Sam

simple - Russell's last championship - from the 68-69 season