How I Learned to Love Rajon Rondo and Hate Dwyane Wade

First, let me say that I wasn't a huge NBA fan until this season. I knew of the NBA, I knew the basics about which teams/players were dominant (or not), and would watch the playoffs (but not the regular season). This year that changed. Propelled by the Hawks surprising showing against Boston in last year's playoffs, I began following first the Hawks and then more and more of the NBA during the this year's season.

Living in the Los Angeles television market, I was stuck watching Lakers and Clippers games. I hate the Lakers and pity the Clippers, so I usually tuned in to watch the opponent. It was rare that I would see Atlanta play - it only happened when the Hawks were matched up against a league leader, like Boston or Cleveland. So, most of my information about non-Western conference teams came through ESPN highlights and statistics.

Which is what led to me love Dwayne Wade, especially after the All-Star break, when he started scoring at will and imposing himself on every contest like it was Game 7. But he wasn't just putting up big scoring numbers. His statistical lines were almost nonsensical, putting up 40 points but grabbing 10 rebounds, 5 steals, and 4 blocks. Basically he was a freak, playing beyond his position and beyond the game.

But having been able to watch him now in four consecutive games against the Hawks, I can see that he is just playing the system instead of using his impressive athleticism and skill. He takes dives! Many of his points are accured through free throws awarded to him as he hurls himself at players under the basket. Based on his dramatic flailing, refs think he was clearly fouled. He even uses the trick where he pump fakes a defender into the air, and then throws himself into the defender while tossing up a half-assed attempt at a shot. This translates to a shooting foul, and two easy points for Wade.

Other players (Kobe and Paul Pierce, for example)use refs to their advantage, and while it is within the bounds of the game, is nonetheless shameful. It's exactly the same as soccer players flopping around the lawn like a bunch of caught trout. What makes it doubly frustrating is that Wade has such prodigious talent. When healthy he is always a threat to take over a game, much like LeBron and Kobe are. He takes away from the athletic competitiveness of the game, degrading his abilities and himself.

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Rajon Rondo, on the other hand, is a less a freak than he is a mutant. Last year, his rookie year, he won a championship. This year he has replaced Kevin Garnett as the soul of a team that includes future hall of famers Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. At 6'1" and 170 pounds, he's undersized even for a point guard. But in five playoff games he's averaging a triple-double! And he's doing it without a jump shot! When Rondo has the ball, everybody knows that he's going drive for a lay-up. He doesn't even consider shooting from outside the key. Yet he gets his points, gets his teammates touches, and he's averaging ten rebounds. That's just beyond understanding. Chris Paul can't do that. Steve Nash can't do that.

Rondo has activated some hidden DNA for this playoff series. He appears to move with complete abondon when handling the ball. I even think he doesn't know what he's going to do until after he does it. He embodies the game utterly, trusting his body to make the moves rather than plotting an attack. Because he plays the game, not the system, Rajon Rondo is the better basketball player than Dwyane Wade.