Taking Advantage of the Charity Stripe

If Rondo has fixed this, he is "elite".


http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4698160/taking-advantage-of-the-charity-stripe



It might have gotten lost in the shuffle among Jeff Green's dunks and
fastbreak blocks, or Jared Sullinger's rebounds, but Rajon Rondo's
preseason free throw shooting percentage was one of the quiet surprises
of the Celtics' exhibition season.


Over the eight-game slate, Rondo shot 77.3 percent from the free
throw line, a figure substantially better than any of the marks he
registered during the regular season in his first six years in the NBA.



To date, Rondo's highest free throw percentage for a season came
during his rookie year, when he shot 64.7 percent from the line. His
average hovered in the mid-to-low 60s over the first four years of his
career, before dipping to a career-low 56.8 percent during the 2010-2011
season, only to see a marginal increase to 59.7 percent last season.



Arguably the weakest part of an otherwise All-Star game, free throw
shooting has been the knock on Rondo for much of his career, in
conjunction with a mid-range jumpshot that has caused defenses to play
far off of him at times. Though the stats will paint a clearer picture
once the regular season begins, it's worth noting that Rondo did seem
noticeably more confident shooting both free throws and jump shots
during the exhibition season. He wasn't shy about attacking the rim and
absorbing the contact typically associated with doing so, and he helped
to justify those drives by earning his reward at the stripe.



Rondo was actually a perfect 11-for-11 from the line over the first
three preseason games, including a 6-for-6 mark in Boston's opening loss
in Turkey.



Is this a sign of things to come for Rondo? We'll have to play the
wait-and-see game for now, but it's certainly something to keep an eye
on over the first month of the season. Without question, an improvement
at the free throw line would further enhance Rondo's overall game, and
make him a more formidable offensive weapon for the Celtics.




bob


.

Rondo started to hit the jumper last season. I am sure he will continue to improve in this area. As for free throws, it has always been a concern and it remains one. The signs of the preseason indicate he will show marked improvement in this area as well. Rest assured that next season he will be even better. He has a lot of pride and a good work ethic. Taking over the leadership of this team has done wonders for him, wonders that will become very evident once the games count.