Rondo revs up early

Potential excuses for the loss included physical and mental fatigue, poor perimeter defense, and lack of team focus. But instead of choosing any of those alibis, the fiery point guard blamed himself.

"I'm my worst critic," Rondo said. "I'm honest with myself. If I played terrible, I don't have to hear it from other people. I know. I know when I play bad.

"We shouldn't be down, 0-1. Every game counts. Every game counts. We can't take days off."

Rondo didn't have much to blame himself for in Game 2, as he earned a triple-double of 15 points, 18 assists, and 11 rebounds in the Celtics' 112-94 rout of the Magic last night.

Rondo is now the only Celtic other than Larry Bird (1986) to have three triple-doubles in a postseason. He also was named to the NBA's All-Defensive second team yesterday.

Even with a much better performance, Rondo wasn't totally satisfied.

"It was probably like a B-plus," said Rondo, who made 7 of 19 shots and missed all three 3-point attempts. "It really wasn't my A game.

"I wasn't shooting well. But I was trying to do the intangibles on the floor even though my offensive game wasn't going. I tried to pick it up defensively and get my guys going early."

While Bostonians know Rondo well, he burst on the national hoop scene in the first round against Chicago, averaging 19.4 points, 9.3 rebounds, 11.6 assists, and 2.7 steals in seven games against the Bulls.

He did this while playing on two bad feet and needing rest as much as or more than any Celtic. Since it took seven games to eliminate Chicago, the defending champs had only one day off before starting a new series against Orlando.

Rondo struggled mightily in the first half of Game 1, with 2 points on 1-of-7 shooting and 2 assists, though he grabbed 6 rebounds in 15 minutes. Boston went into halftime down 18 points, 54-36.

"I didn't come out and play with great passion in that first half," Rondo said. "It was too late in the second half to try to make that back. I will never let that happen again."

The third-year guard pushed the pace strongly in the second half; he made 10 free throws, grabbed 4 rebounds, and dished 6 assists, but shot 1 of 5 from the field in an eventual 95-90 loss.

"That's the reason why we lost Game 1, really, because of the way I started the game out," Rondo said. "It's the truth. If I start the game out, take the ball up and put us in transition, I can't check five guys as far as [defensively]. But I can put some pressure on my man and try to create turnovers."

Said coach Doc Rivers, "It's not that he didn't show up trying. He just couldn't get to the gear. You could see him. He was trying to force it."

By the look in Rondo's eyes yesterday morning, he definitely wasn't someone to bet against in Game 2.

Rondo pushed the tempo from the start and nearly had a triple-double in the first half with 8 points, 12 assists, and 7 rebounds. Boston was up as many as 19 before taking a comfortable 61-46 advantage into halftime.

"He had great tempo, clearly," Rivers said.

Rondo owned the glass like a big man, dished like John Stockton, and took the ball to the hole as if his shoe company, Nike, were filming a commercial.

Speaking of commercial material, the 23-year-old completed his triple-double by going through the lane for a Jordanesque jam between Orlando towers Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis with 2:48 in the third quarter to give Boston a 23-point lead (77-54).

"I saw Dwight and Rashard under the basket and as soon as I got it, I said, 'I got to go strong,' " Rondo said. "My floater wasn't going at the time. So I had to go up and attack the rim."

It seemed Rondo's night was over as he went to the bench at the beginning of the fourth quarter with Boston up, 86-64. But with Orlando drawing within 93-75 with 7:06 remaining, Rivers sent Rondo back in.

With 1:50 remaining, Rondo recorded his 18th assist on a 3-pointer by Brian Scalabrine that gave Boston a commanding 110-88 lead. Ten seconds later, Rondo left the game, though to no special applause because of a mass substitution. But none was needed, as he played up to his high standards this time.

"He was just in attack mode," Rivers said. "His speed was a factor. We talk about it all the time. Heck, we've been talking about it for three years.

"There is no guarantee that everybody is going to play well. But there is a guarantee that you give yourself a chance when you play with what you do.

"And Rondo played with his speed. That's what he is. And when he plays with his speed, good things happen."

Said Rondo, "I wanted to come out tonight and make a point."

Point taken.