Rajon Rondo is one of the most polarizing players in the NBA. He can pass as well as anyone and is a phenomenal rebounder for a point guard. But, his shooting woes are well documented and he often disappears in less meaningful games.
When he was teamed up with future Hall of Famers Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, Rondo was the perfect compliment to their scoring abilities. However, on a significantly less-talented Boston Celtics team his flaws are much more noticeable.
Rondo trade rumors have been in constant flux ever since the Celtics fall from greatness, and now they’re heating up again. Yahoo Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski and Marc J. Spears first reported that Boston is showing a “renewed willingness” to deal its captain.
Boston's discussing Rondo trades on multiple fronts, but Mavericks are showing an increasing interest in deal for Rondo, sources tell Yahoo.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 18, 2014
While the Dallas Mavericks or other potential Rondo suitors might be somewhat discouraged by his 8.3 points per game scoring average and 33.3 percent free-throw shooting this season, he is a player capable of putting up spectacular numbers.
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Over the course of his career Rondo has 32 triple-doubles. He’s had 15 or more assists in a game 64 times. He’s grabbed at least 10 rebounds on 55 different occasions. Heck, he’s even posted nine 30-point games in his NBA tenure.
Here are the top 10 single-game stat lines of Rondo’s career:
Honorable Mention – April 7, 2007: 14 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 7 steals
In his rookie year (before Garnett and Allen came to Boston) Rondo didn’t even crack the starting lineup until late in the season. He’d yet to post his first-ever triple-double, but in a 105-98 loss to the Indiana Pacers Rondo showed a glimpse of his talent with a near quadruple-double.
No. 10 – Feb. 15, 2012: 35 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals
On this night Rondo took a career-high 27 field goal attempts (three more than in any other game), making 15 of them on the way to his second-highest ever scoring output, 35 points. Boston lost to the Detroit Pistons, 98-88.
No. 9 – Feb. 12, 2009: 19 points, 15, rebounds, 14 assists, 1 steal
The Celtics beat the Mavericks 99-92 in one of two games in Rondo’s career in which he’s totaled 14 or more points, rebounds and assists.
No. 8 – March 23, 2011: 6 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, 8 steals
Rondo had an awful shooting night (2-for-12) that prevented him from getting a triple-double in Boston’s 90-87 loss to the Grizzlies in Memphis. He nearly recorded it anyway with career-best eight steals.
No. 7 – Dec. 7, 2012: 16 points, 13 rebounds, 14 assists, 3 steals, 3 blocks
Boston lost 95-94 to the Sixers in Philadelphia, but Rondo logged a generous triple-double while also tying his career high for blocks–he’s only ever blocked three shots in a game on two occasions.
No. 6 – Feb. 12, 2012: 32 points, 10 rebounds, 15 assists, 2 steals
The Celtics point guard went 10-for-13 from the line while posting a triple-double in a 95-91 victory over the Chicago Bulls. His 32 points were the third-highest total of his career.
No. 5 – Oct. 29, 2010: 10 points, 10 rebounds, 24 assists
In a 105-101 defeat of the New York Knicks, Rondo shot just 33 percent from both the field (4-for-12) and foul line (2-for-6). However, he still managed to post a triple double on the same night he set his career high for assists (24).
No. 4 – Jan. 5, 2011: 12 points, 10 rebounds, 23 assists, 6 steals
Rondo put up a triple-double and six steals in the game that also marks the second-best assist performance (23) of his career. Boston beat the San Antonio Spurs 105-103.
No. 3 – May 9, 2010: 29 points, 18 rebounds, 13 assists, 2 steals
Rondo was on the court for 47 minutes of the Celtics’ 97-87 playoff win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. He got to the foul line 16 times (his personal best), making 11 of them. The 18 rebounds is his career high.
No. 2 – March 4, 2012: 18 points, 17 rebounds, 20 assists
The Celtics knocked off the Knicks 115-111, and Rondo came close to an absurd 20-20-20 game. He’s the only player in the last 29 years (as far back as Basketball-Reference keeps track) to tally at least 18 points, 17 rebounds and 20 assists.
No. 1 – May 30, 2012: 44 points, 8 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals
Rondo played all 53 minutes of a 115-111 overtime playoff loss to the Heat in Miami. He shot 16-of-24 from the field (.667), 2-for-2 from three point land and 10-of-12 (.833) at the free-throw line en route to a career-high 44 points.