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Chris Wilcox: Secret to the Rajon Rondo alley-oop 11.25.12 at 2:55 pm ET
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The secret to that Rajon Rondo-to-Chris Wilcox alley-oop that’s been so successful — despite just 33 games together as Celtics teammates — really isn’t all that complicated.

“It is what it is, man,” said Wilcox, whose averaging 13.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per 36 minutes. “I’m playing hard, just trying to be in the right spot at the right time, and good things happen. His No. 1 goal is to find us, to find the open man. All I do is just make it easier for myself and get to the right spot at the right time.”

Remarkably, 19 of Wilcox’s 21 field goals this season have come at the rim, where he’s making 86.4 percent of his shots (19-22 FG), and 15 of them have come from assists. The other four? All from offensive rebounds. He’s made a living from scoring around the basket — honing his alley-oop skills from guys like Andre Miller and Sam Cassell on the Clippers as well as Luke Ridnour and Earl Watson on the Sonics — but never like this.

“Rondo’s one of a kind,” said Wilcox.” I’ve been with some great point guards — Andre Miller, Luke Ridnour and Earl Watson — and they were basically the same kind of point guards. You just get to the right spot and good things happen. I’m just out there trying to be aggressive and trying to make things easier for him.”

It’s no coincidence Wilcox enjoyed his best seasons in Seattle, where he averaged 13.4 points in his only two full seasons on the Sonics. Pass-first point guards Ridnour and Watson combined to average 10.9 assists per game, including more than two-thirds of Wilcox’s five-plus field goal attempts at the rim per game.

Now, Rondo takes that recipe to a whole new level. Wilcox no longer plays 30-plus minutes a night, but he’s averaging the same number of shots at the rim per minute, still taking two per game. And just as Rondo’s career-high jump shooting (47.0 FG% beyond 10 feet) has opened the backdoor for Kevin Garnett, Wilcox has also benefited, converting 11-of-14 attempts as either a cutter or roll man.

“He draws all the attention,” said Wilcox, “and it makes it so much easier for me.”

His 12 dunks makes him the only Celtics player among the NBA’s top 30 dunkers, and 25 of those 30 average more than twice as many minutes as Wilcox. Denver’s JaVale McGee (31 dunks in 19.5 minutes a night), Utah’s Derrick Favors (15 in 24.1 MIN) and Milwaukee bigs Larry Sanders (13 in 22.9 MIN) and Samuel Dalembert (15 in 17.3 MIN) are the only other players on that list to play fewer than 25 minutes a night, and Wilcox plays just 13.3. He’s also one of only four players (Dalembert, Andrei Kirilenko, Tyson Chandler) in that group over 30 years old.

Read More: Boston Celtics, Chris Wilcox, NBA, Rajon Rondo Print  |  Email  |  Bark It Up!  |  Digg It
  • WaKe-uP!!!

    Who cares about compensation and some cash to the sox who need some cash and spend it, and this is the same team who had the best record in baseball if you forget about September players move on and so should the “fans” if these guys believe there professionals I wouldn’t put it past them to come out and play .700 ball thru the break, this team is still stacked!

  • Larry Luchino

    They have added character players like Punto and Sweeney…and the main thing is Bailey is a east coast kid who wants to be here while Paps was all about being a free agent while he signed one year contracts every year

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_MF3674P3JF4RLMQXQCPV4XZL3E rickp

    I think Theo has his head up his butt.
    He ruined the red sox by depleting the farm system.
    He had nothing to do with winning the 1st world series as it was the team that Duqette had assembled.
    The 2nd world series ring was because of left overs from Duquette and with some additions by Theo.  Basically Theo got lucky on the 2nd ring.
    The boy wonder isnt the wonder you think he is, He will demise the Cubs the same way, if that is possible at all since the Cubs are a pathetic bunch to begin with.
    As for compensation? yes compensation IS due because he walked out on his contract,,
    As for the Crawford signing?  that will go down in history as the biggest Red Sox management blunder since Dice-K.

    • D. Delaney

      “He ruined the red sox by depleting the fam system.”
       
      Who built that system?  I’ll give you a hint, it wasn’t Dan Duquette.

      “the 2nd world series ring was because of left overs from Duquette and with some additions by Theo.  Basically Theo got lucky on the 2nd ring”

      This is silly. 6 of the 9 position player were acquired after Duquette. And the only member of the pitching staff acquired during the Duquette years was Tim Wakefield.  I guess you believe that the Sox won in 2007 because of four players.
       

  • Ortiz34renteria16

    I think the chances of the compensation player being a draft pick from the 2011 draft are more likley because a player from that draft needs to be with the team 6 months before he can be moved. I would say this could be the hold up an a player has been agreed upon but my mybe not. I  think we deff should atleast get a good prospect wethar thats Junior Lake or Trey McNutt.

  • Siva1456

    release Ortiz and trade Marco S., Bobby Jenks, Darnell McDonald and prospects for Hanley Ramirez and get Oswalt or Edwin Jackson AND Prince Fielder

    • BB

      This post has to be a joke right? Prince? Where would you put him donkey?

    • Tt

      wow you clearly know nothing about how baseball works

  • Twist

    That Jenks deal looks pretty good now, huh? 12-13 million down the bloody drain. They really do not have much flexibility here.Dice K 8 plus, 31 plus for Lackey and Josh B, Youk at 12 mill, Scutoro at 6 plus……Youk may have to go, I would rather Oswalt than him, it is a tough call but i do not see anywhere else they can shed payroll.

    Gibba 1924 I agree, they have plenty of dough because fools pay a fortune to go, or even better fans go just to say they went.Every game on cable(NESN) tickets way out of reach for the peasants, 50 parking, 8 for a beer, your right, what a joke…..

  • Rick Esten

    Trade Scutaro for prospect(s), suffer with no offense from Iglesias and use the $ toward Oswalt. Where’s Ike Delock? 

  • Lipper

    They better do something and fast! The Skankees now have Sabathia,Burnett,Garcia,Kuroda, and Penada from the Mariners via a trade? Our rotation Lester,Beckett,Buckholtz,Bard, and Silva,Cook,Padilla,Miller,and Dubront! Its looking like we’ll be fighting for 3rd place

    • 铁路

      I don’t share your pessimism.  I would say they are pretty evenly matched starting rotations.  Kuroda and Pineda are good additions but they are no guarantees in the AL and especially in the AL East.  Burnett is a hit and miss.  Garcia is decent.  I would give the Yanks a slight edge in the bottom part of the rotation but whoever from Lester, Beckett, Buchholz and Bard are your top three starters, assuming all healthy, are slightly better than what the Yankees have.

      The lineups are more or less evenly matched too if you look at one through nine.  Yankees obviously have an edge in the bullpen with the departure of Papelbon and Bard (to the starting rotation) and arrival of relative unknown question marks of Melancon and Bailey.

      • Robert5286

        Wish I could agree,but unless certain things happen, the Sox are done before the first pitch
        1: Beckert must match last years season. 2 Lester has to get over the hump and be a better pitcher.3: Buckholtz must be healthy all season and win 15 to 18 games.4: Bard must shine as a starter. I’m talking about 200 innings,15 wins and an ERA below .300 If all that happened, and if one of the bottom feeders are at least,league average, they might have a chance.On the field, Crawford must return to form and Sweeney should only hit against rhders. Gonzalez needs to step it up. If he can hit 40 HR’s in San Diego, he should be able to do it here.

  • Jimm yFreeze

    Now we’re back to the 90′s where they were constatnly whining about money…can’t spend with the Yankees…blah-blah-blah…

    Maybe the new re-alignment will come thru and they can move to the AL West…they better figure out a way to get more $$ to compete with the Yankees, or start developing players like the Rays, or they will be the new Baltimore Orioles…

    …Oops, The Duke will probably find a way re-vitalize those guys, and we’ll be the 4th place team.

    • Robert5286

      We can thank the former genius for this mess. The only thing this ownership did right was to dump T @ T

  • AL34

    Ben is a compaany man carrying out money bags John Henry’s instructions. Tired of hearing this money thrift BS with this team with his soccer team, racing team and all that.

    • Robert5286

      It’s all about priorities. The man is a billionaire,plus. The Sox are not number one. Why this management wouldnt  up the payroll enough to get one quality starter and some thump in RF is beyond me. Stranger still, there are stat geeks out there who think that them crying poor mouth is perfectly okay.

  • J Penson

    Sell the Liverpool soccer team and sign Oswalt.Silva,Padilla,and Cook are inadequate and
    Boston has no guarantees that Clay B is healthy.

    • Robert5286

      If we had a commisioner with some stones,owners wouldn’t be allowed to own more then one team.

  • Jim

    I wonder if the Sox could move Jenks and an upper level prospect to Theo to reduce payroll. Cubs have cash and need prospects.

    • Robert5286

      I’m sure Jenks is not on Theo’s wish list.

  • Eric

    My favorite quote of the article “at least one scout was impressed with the way he finished the season”. Are you kidding me? Each team has at least one so those odds are not worth noting. Oswalt would be a pricey #4 or #5 in the rotation but they took a chance on Smoltz a few years ago for $5 million. I say do it! You can’t have enough arms, what’s 8 million anyway?

  • Shawpa1519

    bad move

    • Gerry

      Why is a fully rehabbed, solid #4-5 groundball pitcher with a winning record and decent peripherals, acceptable K/BB ratio, signed to a minor league contract, and invited to compete for the #5 slot a bad move??? We need the benefit of your reasoning. Did you feel the same way about last year’s signings of Acevas, Albers, Colon, Garcia?

  • Deerkila

    STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES just freaking sign him figure out payroll later u need 6 starters to get it done an oswalt would be #3 here bucholtz wood be 4 and padilla and  bard  5th  dont want to hear about money already cant take my family to a game cause cant afford to pay parking tix and food 300 -400 $$$$$ easy just tix and parking  the are getting ins payments for lackeyandmatsuzaka so bulls@#t to the money issue

  • Robert5286

    Count on it. They will probably get Pena for his walks and power. He is still a great fielding 1st baseman and could give Texeira a rest.

  • Sparger69

    Chris is my hero. I might get a twitter account just to follow him.

  • Egj2tx

    This is why I love Chris Kluwe 

  • Purple to the core

    Way to go Warcraft ! Anyone gonna go after the refs who watched all the late hits? And Drew Brees needs to check that holier than thou attitude. You are good but your team had to cheat to get to the big game!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Chris-Hamilton/656896778 Chris Hamilton

    they’ll draft one or sign a low budget guy like Clinton Portis.

    • BillTimko

      Issiah Pead out of Cincinnati appears to be a Patriot type of player. Versatille running back who can run block and catch. Special teams and cincy runs a similar fast paced O.

  • http://sbpra.com/paulvsuffriti Paul V. Suffriti

    Going to miss BJGE. He was dependable. Pats will probably sign a veteran RB for depth. Losing BJGE may not be the worse thing for the Pats offense. Vereen and Ridley may be the answer the Pats have been looking for in the Backfield. If they can fill the void with excellence then BJGE will be just a nice memory. Pats offense will survive and should thrive with the additions of the FA wideouts. 

  • Dangerous Dan McGrew

    Losing BJGE certainly raised some eyebrows and rekindled some fears as to what happens with running game however, we must remember that Free Agency is still on, we haven’t got to the draft yet and there have been no final roster cuts for the 2012 season.
    Should we be concerned?  Yes.  Have some patience and watch how this all plays out? Definitely,(still 5 months and change til opening day),!  
    Bottom line is that there are still plenty of picks to be made, some of which may become major positives for this team. 
    Also, take note of TB’s restructuring of his contract thereby freeing up another 7M+ in cap space.  Hell that alone says “somethin’s happening here”.

  • http://twitter.com/actiontoyxpress ATX

    Not sure if they are harsh enough.

  • VIKINGFAN

    The Saints DID NOT “hit fair and square”! Have you seen the bruises Favre got? They cost us a SB win!

  • Robert5286

    I like Bailey and Meloncan,but if you can get Ryan Madson for one year at 8 million, you have to try. Madson as closer with Bard setting up,backed by Bailey, Meloncan and Aceves is how you win a pennant. This pen would allow the starters to be mediocre and still give the team a chance to win. Joe Saunders could have been the 4th starter.  Unforgivable!

  • Robert5286

    This happens more and more. Boras will price his players out of the market. This is good,because no one has done more to hurt the game then Boras.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_MF3674P3JF4RLMQXQCPV4XZL3E rickp

    cash compemsation will due because john Henry wants a new yatch.
    lmao

  • Normdubois

    All talk and no action!  Another ‘headline’ report, amongst others, that goes from a ‘positive’
    and turn intos into a ‘negative’ in real short order.  Supposedly Roy Oswalt’s ‘one year’ deal
    at a very low pricewas a perfect scenario, but now they say a roster move would have to be
    made to free up the payroll.  Are they really in  such dire straits?  If so, then just make the
    roster move.  Another ‘proven’ starting pitcher is sorely needed. Don’t just ‘Talk the talk’, it’s
    time to ‘Walk the walk’ !      

  • Tt

    Beckett, Lester, Bucholz, Bard is a really good top 4

  • Im_gonna_kill_u_in_ur_sleep

    They were getting paid to take people out of the game.. That doesn’t usually involve playing the game fair..
    Obviously you didnt watch the NFC Championship against the Vikings..

  • Sweetkickingames

    How they hit Brett farve was not fair nor square

  • frank

    mike  its plain to see you dont know football  bet you are a kick boxing  freak

  • hannah

    You’re kidding, right? Go back and watch the footage from that NFC championship game. If you’re honest with what you see, you’d take that back.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPZCVCZNc50 

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