Rajon Rondo's name has been appearing in some trade rumors recently, which, on the surface, seems somewhat odd. After all, he had somewhat of a coming out party in this year's playoffs, especially during the Celtics' epic series with the Bulls when he averaged close to a triple-double for the entire series.
Danny Ainge has gone back and forth on Rondo -- first denying the rumors completely, then letting some details about Rondo's attitude and behavior slip out, while suggesting that right now, his starting point guard isn't worthy of receiving a max contract.
Rondo's agent, as you might imagine, was not pleased with Ainge's comments, and he gave a response to The Boston Globe that was critical of the way Ainge has handled the entire situation.
(Quick aside: Is it just me or is the NBA offseason easily the most fun of any sport?) Anyway, it appears, based on Woj's sources, that this rumor is likely to gain very little steam, primarily because Danny Ainge is dealing with "Bring in Rasheed Wallace to win a championship" Joe Dumars, as opposed to "Draft Darko, Trade Chauncey for Iverson" Joe Dumars.
My colleague Matt Steinmetz made a compelling case over the weekend that the Lakers are at a crossroads. If this team falls short of reaching the NBA Finals, should Mitch Kupchak do everything in his power to bring back the current core? Will retaining free agents like Lamar Odom, Trevor Ariza and Shannon Brown result in a roster with a championship ceiling? It's too early to say, especially after the Lakers averted disaster with a Game 7 win over the Rockets.
But after watching the Celtics fall to the Magic in Game 7 at home, I can't help but think Boston's GM Danny Ainge now faces the same dilemma. Did the Celtics lose because they were unlucky victims of the injury bug, or did they lose because the roster is inherently flawed?
What started this season as a chest-thumping NBA title defense is turning into an even more impressive testament to seat-of-the-pants resiliency and steely resolve.
The Big Three is long gone. The Gang of Unwanted has kept this one alive.
This is a case where championship experience really came into play. One team had it, and the other team didn't know what it was.
The Boston Celtics may have struggled and trailed throughout the night, but they knew when and how to rally, protecting their home-court advantage with a come-from-behind, 92-88 victory over the Magic. The Celtics took a 3-2 lead in this best-of-seven series.
The Celtics were cool down the stretch when they made a 13-0 run, sending the Magic into a panic from which they never recovered. The Magic, who haven't been past the second round of the playoffs since 1996, unraveled like a team that never had played in this kind of pressure before.
Celtics 92, Magic 88: Recap | Box Score Celtics Lead 3-2 | Next Game: Thursday @ Orlando, 7 PM ET
When the Boston Celtics first assembled the Big Three of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, they essentially told untested young point guard Rajon Rondo to just stay out of the way.
Today, they are asking him to lead the way.
Rondo, 23, has progressed so rapidly and so impressively this season that he has gone from a role-playing afterthought in their championship run of 2008 to the key in their surprisingly-stubborn defense of a title in 2009.
"You could say my role has changed a little,'' Rondo said earlier this week. "People look to me more. I'm being asked, and expected, to do more. And I like that.''
Kendrick Perkins received a flagrant-one foul for this elbow that landed to the throat area of Orlando's Mickael Pietrus, during the fourth quarter of the Magic's Game 3 win on Friday.
Despite the fact that the league has generally been wildly inconsistent in terms of what does and does not deserve an ejection or suspension in this post-season, this play seems to be the kind that will result in Perkins being suspended for Game 4. And if that's the case, the Celtics are going to be in some serious trouble.
Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy accepted the suspension of his point guard -- Rafer Alston will miss Game 3 Friday night against Boston -- but he took the opportunity to question why the Boston Celtics got preferential treatment from the NBA.
Alston was suspended Thursday for slapping Boston's Eddie House in the back of the head at the end of Game 2 Wednesday as they were running down court after a basket by House.
Van Gundy compared it to the Boston-Chicago first round series when Rajon Rondo smacked Brad Miller in the face as he drove to the basket in the closing seconds of a close game. Rondo received only a personal foul call againt him and no suspension.
A shockingly dominant first half performance. A near collapse. A clanker of Game 2. A suspended point guard. This the Orlando Magic.
A pathetic shot out of the gate. A determined second-half rebound. A dominant Game 2 performance, start to finish. Swagger. Determination. A ring. These are the Boston Celtics.
As we head to Game 3 in Orlando of this seven game series, things are coming to a head. Games 1 and 2 were largely feeling one another out. And if you're a Magic fan, that process did not come out the way you'd have preferred. So what are we looking at in Game 3?
The Magic played much of Wednesday's game as if they were content going back to Orlando with a split. Unfortunately, not even returning to their home court might help their chances for Game 3 if Rafer Alston is suspended, which is a distinct possibility after his inexcusable slap to Eddie House's head late in the third quarter.
Rajon Rondo's name has been appearing in some trade rumors recently, which, on the surface, seems somewhat odd. After all, he had somewhat of a coming out party in this year's playoffs, especially during the Celtics' epic series with the Bulls when he averaged close to a triple-double for the entire series.
There's a little NBA trading spice coming out of 
Cherry Picking
This is a case where championship experience really came into play. One team had it, and the other team didn't know what it was.
When the Boston Celtics first assembled the Big Three of 
Orlando Magic coach 
A shockingly dominant first half performance. A near collapse. A clanker of Game 2. A suspended point guard. This the Orlando Magic. 
