Subscribe
Follow Us
Before signing with the Atlanta Hawks in the offseason, point guard Rajon Rondo spent the last two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers and helped the team to the 2020 NBA title.
So when the Lakers played against the Hawks on Monday, the defending champions knew that the 34-year old would be familiar with the plays that they would be running. After all, Rondo has been praised throughout his career for having a high basketball IQ, even by his former Lakers teammates.
But Lakers head coach Frank Vogel and his staff came prepared against the Hawks. Big man Anthony Davis said that the team prepared an out-of-timeout play for the game specifically to trick Rondo, and got a foul out of it. Of course, Davis was there to point out that it was a play that the two-time champion hadn't seen before, with both parties getting a laugh out of it.
Vogel confirmed Davis’ story and praised once more the four-time All Star’s intelligence on the court and his knowledge of their system.
https://twitter.com/hmfaigen/status/1356664707944382465
It wasn’t just the out-of-timeout play that worked for the Lakers, as they came away with a 107-99 win, with Davis leading the team with 25 points. Rondo, meanwhile, finished with five points, two rebounds, and two assists in 15 minutes of action against his former team.
Even if they aren’t together anymore, it is clear that the bond is still strong between Rondo and the Lakers. But for at least one play, one of the most intelligent minds in the game was outsmarted by his former coach.
