New Orleans Pelicans Players that will impact playoff match-ups in April

Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets: Rajon Rondo

Surprise! Rajon Rondo is on this list, so hold your comment.

I’m not going to act like the Pels even have a 25% chance against a healthy Golden State or Houston team because they don’t. From the coaching to the starters, to the bench, both teams simply out-match the Pels in every way.

However, if the Pels want to at least make this series competitive Rajon Rondo needs to play well.

We know Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday are going to get theirs, but they are not nearly enough. Rajon Rondo is the only role player of the bunch with the ability to elevate his game to star level. Though you wouldn’t know it from the average Pels game, Rondo was once a top-five point guard in his Celtics days, and there have been glimpses of that player this season. Like in early December, when he was able to put up 12/6.5/11.5 on 66.5% effective shooting in six games. Or in early February, when he put up 12.8/5.4/9.2 on 60% effective shooting. And from late February on, he has put up a solid 9.7/5.5/9.8.

Next: What does Ray Allen's book have to do with Rajon Rondo

The Pels need the best possible Rondo they can get if they even want to take two games off of the white whales of the West.