Los Angeles Lakers point guard Rajon Rondo has long been regarded as one of the best role players in recent seasons. However, he has a tendency to take his play up a notch in the postseason, thus the moniker “Playoff Rondo” was born.
According to Jackie MacMullan of ESPN, former Boston Celtics teammate Leon Powe first heard it back in 2010, when he was playing with the Cleveland Cavaliers against Boston in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Powe gives Kendrick Perkins the credit:
I'm pretty sure Perk started it,” he says, “'cause when Rondo was destroying us, Perk kept shouting, ‘Playoff Rondo!'”
Perk confirmed he did call Rajon Rondo that all the time:
“Might have been me,” he answered. “I did call him that a lot, because he has a history of turning it on for the playoffs.”
“His mindset reminds me of [former Lakers guard] Derek Fisher, who would go from scoring eight, nine points a night in the regular season, then all of a sudden pop off for 16 in a big playoff game.”
Rajon Rondo has been outstanding in these playoffs, and the Lakers are lucky to have a player of his caliber in their corner right now.
According to Second Spectrum data, the 14-year veteran is shooting 46% on jumpers this postseason, up from 34% during the regular season. In fact, his numbers in every other statistical category increased as well ever since the playoffs began.
The former Kentucky Wildcat will also have a shot at rewriting history as he aims to follow in the footsteps of former NBA swingman Clyde Lovellette to be the only players to have won a ring with both the Lakers and Celtics, though Lovellette won his Lakers title in Minneapolis.
Now left with two more games to reach their ultimate goal, the Lakers will need Rajon Rondo to be at his best to help them successfully capture their franchise's 17th championship title.
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