|
"what was quickly discovered on Tuesday was that having a point guard with an actual high basketball IQ benefits everybody. Rose liked to insist that he had a basketball IQ, but he seemed to be the only one that shared that opinion."
http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/derrick-rose-inserts-foot-in-mouth-rajon-rondo-just-does-work/
Meeting with New York reporters following his first practice with his new Knicks teammates on Tuesday, Rose said that the city of Chicago took him for granted.
“All I can do is just work on my game and hope that they continue to look,’’ the former Bulls point guard insisted.
Took him for granted?
“Hope they continue to look?’’
What?
Considering all of the drama Rose put his hometown fan base through the last four years, as well as his organization, the last thing Rose should be doing is pointing fingers about who took who for granted.
Then again, reality isn’t one of Rose’s strengths.
As the Bulls players were finding out first-hand, not the only deficiency that their former point guard carried onto the court.
Rondo is by no means an angel with some of his on-the-court antics, but what was quickly discovered on Tuesday was that having a point guard with an actual high basketball IQ benefits everybody. Rose liked to insist that he had a basketball IQ, but he seemed to be the only one that shared that opinion.
There’s a reason Hoiberg had to dummy-down the playbook last season, as well as constantly stay on Rose about defensive assignments and game-plan.
Not a concern with Rondo.
“Recognition will be a big thing with this group,’’ Hoiberg said. “And I think we’ll be good with that with Rondo. He can survey the floor so well when he’s coming down, get us into a secondary type action. Wade and Jimmy have shown over the course of their careers that they can make plays and get into the paint. The big thing is playing off each other. With Rondo coming down the floor with the ball in his hands, you feel very good because he’s generally going to make the right play.’’
That doesn’t mean Rondo has a better basketball skillset than Rose – pre- or post-knee surgery for Rose. What he does have, however, is a high IQ, a leadership voice, and the ability to help with the younger players.
“The biggest thing that I’ve been most impressed with Rajon is the minute he stepped on this floor when he got back here in August is he pulled everybody together,’’ Hoiberg said. “He’s got the best voice on the team. When you have point guard out there who can get you into something and talk the way he does, that sets the tone for everybody. If you have a guy not only offensively getting you into something but defensively making sure guys are pointing and talking and making sure guys are pointing and talking and getting back and matched up in transition, that’s where it starts.’’
Traits that Butler is already embracing.
“ really sees things before they even develop out there on the basketball floor, so it makes everybody’s job a lot easier,’’ Butler said. “Like I always say, when you put good basketball players out there on the floor you just go. Everything just falls into place, falls into line. You don’t have to worry about too much of anything. And with him he’s an incredible leader. He just wants everybody to be successful. He’s going to put you in position to be just that.’’ <---https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DL9AVTQ
|
Printer-friendly copy 
Email this topic to a friend
Okay Sports
