Mavericks: Is Rajon Rondo A Good Luck Charm?
The Mavericks last loss came against the Sacramento Kings, but did comments made after that game by Rajon Rondo change Dallas’ course down the stretch?
The Dallas Mavericks approach Wednesday’s gargantuan showdown with the Houston Rockets at American Airlines Center riding an unlikely four-game winning streak. Sunday’s 88-78 victory over the Timberwolves in Minnesota kept the Mavericks in complete control of their playoff destiny.
In this case, we’re talking about the same playoffs that Sacramento Kings point guard Rajon Rondo won’t be participating in, the smug veteran player relegated to NBA purgatory in the bad air of California’s Central Valley for all eternity.
Well, maybe not forever, but you get the drift.
Rondo was part of a blockbuster trade last year that relocated him, along with youngster Dwight Powell, from the Boston Celtics to the Mavericks.
The results were horrific.
There were many at the time that felt that Rondo wasn’t a good fit in the Dallas offense, when in fact it wasn’t the scheme that was the biggest issue. The primary misfortune for the Mavericks was the fact that Rondo is simply a certified punk, period.
Rondo was exiled from the team just as last season’s postseason was getting underway, which only entailed a brief series for Dallas against those same Rockets that the Mavs will see on Wednesday.
Beginning with the brief and bizarre Rondo ride in Dallas, then followed by the completely classless flake job on the part of Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan last summer, the Mavericks have clearly endured some profoundly disrespectful circumstances that don’t seem merited at all.
But maybe karma has something to say about all of this.
The Mavericks’ four-game winning streak that’s at least keeping the 2015-16 season interesting began after Dallas was completely destroyed by Rondo and the Kings on March 27. Actually, Rondo was among the Mavs’ least concerns in this game as eight Kings players hit double-digits in scoring – another had 9 points.
Nonetheless, Rondo fanned the flames of outright disrespect towards his former team after the game, as reported by ESPN the day after. Like the average six-year old, Rondo wants the Mavericks to miss the playoffs so long as he’s not there.
"Yeah, I want them to get their plane ticket as soon as we get ours. So anytime we can help, that’s what I try to get these guys [his teammates] to focus on. If we’re not going to make the playoffs, then let’s help some of these guys go home with us."
Sounds like the priorities are well established in California’s state capital, right? Might explain exactly why the Kings, if we can call them that, are 31-46 with five games to play.
The irony here is that since that childishness went on display for the nation to absorb, the Mavericks are 4-0.
Huh?
Well, it certainly would have given me new emotional fortitude to start winning games just to spite that little twit, you know? I hate to give Rondo any more credit that he deserves, which happens to be zero, but perhaps the basketball gods have stepped in to offer a little justice for a Dallas franchise that’s been disproportionately hampered by bad luck since the team first came into being in 1980. Sure, there’s been more good times than bad since owner Mark Cuban took over as the 199os were nearing their end, but there’s always been some really disappointing twists and turns for this franchise.
Now, this is not to suggest that the Mavericks are heading anywhere significant in the postseason, provided they even make it, just because of some former player that maintains a grudge for that which most people don’t understand.
But what if they did?
Next: Mavericks Make It Four Straight Wins In Minnesota
Special for this Mavericks team now means simply qualifying for the Western Conference playoffs simply because it’ll give Rondo something to read about online while he’s booking his vacation plans a little over a week from now.