Amazingly, Rajon Rondo’s 20th career triple-double was hardly his best performance. In addition to his 17 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists, he also missed 15 shots, and he was so skittish about the approaching Jason Collins on his breakaway layup - sort of like a rhinoceros chasing a gazelle - that he botched the shot, looking like he had been felled by a hunter.
Friday night was an adventure for Rondo, but again it encapsulated his entire six-year career with the Celtics. His return from a one-game suspension for chest-bumping official Marc Davis was going to be nothing short of exciting. He was a busy bee during the Celtics’ 90-84 overtime win over the Atlanta Hawks in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.
He was sticking his stinger everywhere, mostly making good things happen, but sometimes injecting himself too much into the Celtics’ offensive game plan.
He launched 22 shots, his most since Feb. 15, as the Hawks practically sent him an Evite to take the open jumper. He was aggressive, slicing toward the basket and taking advantage of his size advantage against Jeff Teague.
Rondo scored 5 of the Celtics’ 10 points in overtime, finally regaining that offensive confidence that he showed the past two months. While a few years ago, he would have been lambasted by his teammates for the volume of shot attempts, they were comfortable with his aggression, understanding that his improvement is ongoing, although meticulous.
Afterward, Rondo didn’t apologize for his Game 1 antics, but definitely wasn’t as brash as Thursday when he appeared defiant about his ejection and suspension. If the Celtics are going to make any type of extended playoff run, they need Rondo in his mature and passionate state.
They need him to remain aggressive, regardless of how many runners or jumpers he misses. And they need him to remain collected and focused as he was Friday.
“I felt good about all the shots that I took, I took a lot. My teammates told me to stay aggressive,’’ said Rondo, who made 7 of 22. “I missed a lot of easy layups, but the jump shots I usually try to take at the midrange game. I accomplished them, I took them, but I missed them.
“There’s going to be nights like tonight where I miss a lot of shots, but I try to continue to fight through, continue to grind and get the win for my team.’’
Of course no critical Celtics game would go without an entertaining exchange between teacher (Doc Rivers) and pupil (Rondo).
Rivers believed Rondo was being too unselfish - it was 26th consecutive game with double-digit assists - but still wanted him to cohesively run the offense. That was a challenge. The Celtics were as awful offensively in the halfcourt as they had been all season, despite Rondo’s attempting to distribute the ball to his teammates.
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