A Christmas Wish List For All Five Pelicans Starters

Rajon Rondo: Respect

Look, statistically speaking Rondo’s numbers will not blow you out of the water. He is averaging near career lows in points (7.3), assists (7.6) and rebounds (4.0). However, it is not his statistics that actually matter. What he brings to the team is far more important than individual numbers.

Since Rondo came into the lineup on November 13th, the Pelicans have improved mightily, specifically on offense. As of December 14th New Orleans’ offensive rating is 111.4, good enough for fifth best in the entire league. In comparison, prior to Rondo’s entrance the Pelicans held a rating of 104.1 (17th in the NBA).

The impact he has on those around him is truly magnificent, specifically in regards to Jrue Holiday. Since Rondo’s first game with the team, Holiday’s performances have steadily improved with each contest. For the past four seasons, Holiday has held the role of starting point guard for the Pelicans. While he technically plays that position and, at times, has excelled (2012-13 NBA All-Star), his talents are best suited for the two-guard.

Prior to Rondo, Holiday was tasked with being the main distributor for his teammates. Again, though he is capable of facilitating and creating for his supporting cast (6.9 APG for his career) this type of play-style is not the 27- year olds forte.

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Now, with Rondo, Holiday is relied upon less as a distributor and more as a playmaker and a beneficiary. Without the duties of main ball handler Holiday has been thriving in his new off-ball play. This month, for instance, Holiday has put up major numbers, averaging 22.8 PPG, 5.4 APG, 4.7 RPG and 1.4 SPG while shooting 51% from the field and an outstanding 44% from deep.

Not only is Holiday a beneficiary to Rondo’s on-court presence, but guys like Darius Miller and E’Twaun Moore have been thriving running alongside the maestro. Moore and Miller are best known as three-point specialists, with career averages running around 40% for the both of them. However, since playing with Rondo starting on November 13th, both of their percentages have been bumped up to around 50%, with both of them ranking in the top-10 in that department this year (8th and 9th respectively).

While his individual statistics will not jump right out at you, what he has brought to his team and his teammates this season has been something that cannot be ignored. For this, Rondo deserves a little more respect this Holiday season.