I feel I should also clarify that my last post wasn't putting down Rondo or trying to undercut the sheer awesomeness of his game, my intention was to simply ask the basketball watching public "what'd you expect?" Looking back, perhaps that wasn't articulated well enough. Rondo is amazing and vital to the Celtics' success, my perspective was that his torturing of Steve Nash was unsurprising because I've seen him play at such a high level for more than a season, though it is sometimes hard to tell because of the presence of his three All-Star teammates. But I digress, now on to a quick quip about Mikki Moore.
First, I assume that most of you will need to know who exactly this Moore fellow is and why he matters at all to the Celtics' hope of repeating as NBA champions this year. The short answer is that he's a wiry seven-footer who can hopefully provide a bit of floor spacing (with a serviable mid-range jumper) and the length the Celtics' second unit has been sorely lacking all season. Yes, his averages of three points and three rebounds a game are unimpressive, and yes, he was playing for the NBA's worst team, the Sacramento Kings, but I swear to you that he has value and could potentially be a solid contributor for the Celtics down the stretch.
Two years ago, Mikki Moore lead the NBA in field goal percentage as a member of the New jersey Nets. As a compliment to New Jersey's core of Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson, Moore shot nearly 61% from the floor and averaged a career high 9.8 points per game. Moore was able to hit open shots and make opposing defenses pay for focusing too much on his All-Star teammates, working as a small yet vital part of their system as a team. Moore played his part very well that year, doing all of the little things you love to see out of your role players and helping New Jersey to reach the playoffs that year.
In the playoffs that year, Moore increased his scoring and rebounding averages by two points each while still shooting an impressive 56% from the floor in twelve games. Though they lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round (the Cavs went on to win the East and get spanked by the Spurs in the Finals), Moore had finished by far his best season as a complimentary piece to a core of veteran players.
Catch my drift yet? In case you're really slow I'll go ahead and say it: Moore had his best season as a role player on the floor with All-Star teammates, which would be the situation he's about to enter in Boston. I think that Mikki Moore could actually fit in quite well with the Celtics and really help them in their push to get back to the NBA Finals. He's long enough to guard centers and quick enough on his feet to rotate within the Celtics' defense. he plays with passion and intensity and doesn't have an aversion to doing the little things that don't necessarily show up on stat sheets. Add to that his offensive ability to hit open shots when he gets them and help his teammates, and you can start to see why this acquisition could prove to be very significant for the Boston Celtics.
Though I wonder about Moore's rebounding, toughness and slight frame (he's listed at 7' 225 lbs, but I doubt he even weighs that much), I feel as though he'll fit in well with Leon Powe and Big Baby Davis and can compliment them nicely in the front-court. It's true that I would have preferred Joe Smith to be our pick up rather than Mikki Moore, but there was no guarantee that Smith would be available in time. So it goes.
If you haven't already, hit up this lengthy but insightful piece on Rajon Rondo. It's a topic I touched on a while ago about Rondo's development and his jump shot. I came to the same conclusion that they did, which is that Rondo just has to be himself and keep playing his game, rather than working to become a mid-range shooter. I don't think it would be bad if his jumper were more reliable, but it's my opinion that Rondo has to do what he does now in order for the Celtics to be successful, and forcing change would be bad. I ended up concluding that improved free-throw shooting would ultimately be much more important for Rondo than a mid-range game, as he's most dangerous when attacking the basket and being a better free-throw shooter would make him all the more dangerous.
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