ESPN

Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo will miss the remainder of the NBA season after suffering a torn ACL in Friday's loss to the Atlanta Hawks. With their floor general on the court, the Celtics have a 99.2 offensive efficiency rating and a 100.4 rating without him. Does this give Boston hope that they will be a playoff team without their starting point guard?

• welldone2013: "Sad day for all sheltic!! fans. I love to see this guy play. With the engine down, i doubt if the cast can push for the playoffs. Get well soon Rondo."
• LetsGoBraves2012: "celtics offense will suck without rondo"
• tanti311: "I think we will be better off without him. I know he is a triple-double threat every night but you watch what happens without him. He makes a lot of mental mistakes and I think he is inconsistent. Go ahead and let the shots fly."
• UnbeataBULL8: "I don't like the guy but as a Bulls fan I know how tough it is when your PG goes down because of this. Hope the C's will be all right without him! Wish Rondo all the best and a speedy recovery!"
• JWB-1979: "Well this sucks, best of luck Rondo. Speaking of toughness, the dude didn't leave the game after he tore his ACL and put a triple-double up on a torn ACL!!!"
• Laangels5824: "Doesnt matter what team you are a fan of. This is terrible news for the NBA and it's sad to see one of the NBA's best PGs go down for the season. Its absolutely disgusting to see so many people happy by this news."

Join the conversation or respond by signing in or creating a profile and blogging.

Much of the focus of the NBA world has been on the Lakers and their struggles, so it may come as a surprise that the Celtics -- who last year were just a game away from the NBA Finals -- have been even worse. Boston lost its fourth straight game Wednesday, falling to 14-17. The Celtics are on the outside of the playoff picture looking in, and seem to be lacking for answers. Can they turn it around this season? And have they been more disappointing than their rivals in Los Angeles?

What is the biggest reason for the Celtics' struggles this season?

•  
  73%
  Age
•  
  2%
  Coaching
•  
  6%
  Injuries
•  
  10%
  Players lost in free agency
•  
  9%
  Something else

(Total votes: 6,901)

Are the Celtics (14-17) a playoff team this season?

•  
  41%
  Yes
•  
  59%
  No

(Total votes: 55,893)

The Celtics-Heat rivalry hasn't gone away. Rajon Rondo's foul on Dwyane Wade in the closing seconds of Miami's opening-night win was proof enough of that. Wade didn't appreciate it, calling it a "punk play" and hinting that payback might be coming in their next meeting. Is Rondo, who was called for a flagrant foul in the incident, a dirty player? Or was it just a hard foul meant to send a message? Discuss and vote.

• bookiebasher87: "Says the guy who broke Kobe's nose in an All-Star game. What goes around comes around."
• jdelahoya: "Rondo is so damn arrogant it's almost embarrassing. Celtics need to get over it. Heat are better and they know it. They need to have some class and just play ball."
• badgers1028: "Not to defend Rondo, but the game is over and Rondo isn't playing D and wade takes advantage and tries to score. 75% of nba players do the same thing Rondo did cuz he's upset he lost. Wade doesn't need to cry about it, it's basketball. Glad everyone is so proud of him for not throwing the ball in Rondo's, big accomplishment."
• pdedse: "Reading what Wade had to say, I thought it was going to be worse than what you see in the video. 10 years ago that's just a foul to make sure Wade didn't get the "and 1". Move along, nothing to see here, folks."
• ko_go_bucks: "Flagrent foul? Yes. Punk play? No. BTW when you're one of the best players in the league, defenders are gonna get physical with you. It comes with the territory."

Join the conversation or respond by signing in or creating a profile and blogging.

On Thursday, "First Take" debated Doc Rivers taking the blame for Ray Allen leaving Boston for Miami. Rivers said that it was his decision to run the offense through Rajon Rondo and use Allen as more of a sixth man that, in part, precipitated Allen's departure. Stephen A. Smith doesn't think that Rivers' move was a good one, while Skip Bayless commends him for the way he handled the situation. What's your take?

Ray Allen is a free agent this offseason, and he's planning on making visits to the Heat and Clippers this week. Would he be a good fit with either of those teams?

• Wahoos316: "I know Celtics fans are a loyal bunch but we should not want Ray Ray for $6 mill/year. Let the Clips or Heat have him if he's going to cost us that much. We need size, athleticism, and defense and Ray gives us none of those."
• XGonnaGiveitToYa: "It all boils down to this. If Ray Allen wants the money, he will sign with Boston or L.A. Clippers. If he wants to win a title, he will sign with the Heat."
• 15BOSOX96: "As a die hard Celtics fan that has enjoyed watching Ray Allen the past five seasons I honestly wish he would leave so we can pursue Brandon Roy or start Avery Bradley... Both are more effective and cheaper."
• azaelv22: "As a Clipper fan, I would love Jesus Shuttlesworth on the team. Traditional 2 guard with size. It would be interesting if he did choose us, what would happen with Chauncey."
• MeeYahMe Marlins: "Could you imagine Ray Allen getting all those wide open looks in Miami?"
• RIPLeBronRinglessJokes: "If Ray Allen wants another championship, he's coming to the Heat.. who wouldn't want to play in the Pat Riley system? He's made over 60-80 million in his career already, so why worry about staying in Boston for the money."



Join the conversation or respond by signing in or creating a profile and blogging.

On Thursday, "First Take" debated the future of the Celtics, with a little help from Boston superfan Bill Simmons. Simmons, Stephen A. Smith, and Skip Bayless went through a few different scenarios as to what the Celtics could do -- everything from trying for it with their current group of players to blowing it up and starting over completely. What's your take?

The Heat and Thunder both went through interesting paths to reach the NBA finals, but they'll have to put every tough series behind them if they plan on winning. Both LeBron James and Kevin Durant are looking to win their first rings, although the pressure they face is anything but equal. All that matters is winning four out of the next seven games. Which team will hoist the trophy?

Which team will win the NBA Finals?

•  
  64%
  Thunder
•  
  36%
  Heat

(Total votes: 526,676)

Did LeBron James prove he can perform in the clutch in Games 6 and 7 of the Eastern Conference finals?

•  
  35%
  No
•  
  65%
  Yes

(Total votes: 90,788)

Who would you rather have on your team?

•  
  49%
  LeBron James
•  
  51%
  Kevin Durant

(Total votes: 68,072)

Will pressure to win an NBA title help or hurt the Heat?

•  
  39%
  Help
•  
  61%
  Hurt

(Total votes: 71,388)

The Spurs were looking like title favorites. Then the wheels fell off, to the tune of four straight losses to the Thunder. What does the future hold for Tim Duncan, Tony Parker & Co.? Do they have another title run left? Should the team make changes or keep its core together?

Will the Spurs contend for the title in 2012-13?

•  
  44%
  Yes
•  
  56%
  No

(Total votes: 5,838)

What should the Spurs do with their core of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili?

•  
  61%
  Keep them all for another run
•  
  30%
  Let one of them go and acquire someone else
•  
  9%
  Blow it up and start over

(Total votes: 5,447)

Which free agent not named Tim Duncan should the Spurs make the biggest push to sign?

•  
  45%
  Boris Diaw (Unrestricted)
•  
  55%
  Danny Green (Restricted)

(Total votes: 20,201)

Which of the following is the biggest factor in the Spurs losing in the Western Conference finals?

•  
  57%
  Thunder were simply better team
•  
  16%
  Turnovers
•  
  16%
  Lack of bench production
•  
  11%
  Defense

(Total votes: 5,251)

If the Spurs had won the Western Conference, how would they have fared in the Finals?

•  
  28%
  Beat Heat
•  
  33%
  Lost to Heat
•  
  23%
  Beat Celtics
•  
  16%
  Lost to Celtics

(Total votes: 5,314)

Has the Spurs' window to win a championship with their current core closed?

•  
  70%
  Yes
•  
  30%
  No

(Total votes: 45,360)

Rajon Rondo and Kevin Garnett have rather taken control of this series, haven't they? The Heat tried everything they could think of to dominate the Celtics during a vulnerable road game in Miami, and it just didn't work. Boston has now won three straight after dropping the first two games of the series, and it's going to be a tough task for Miami to win Game 6 on the road. Can the Heat pull it off?

Who has been more valuable to the Celtics this postseason?

•  
  33%
  Kevin Garnett
•  
  67%
  Rajon Rondo

(Total votes: 71,163)

Does Chris Bosh need to play a significant amount of time for the Heat to win Game 6 in Boston?

•  
  77%
  Yes
•  
  23%
  No

(Total votes: 68,455)

How much damage would losing this series to to LeBron James' legacy?

•  
  9%
  No damage
•  
  58%
  Serious damage
•  
  33%
  Minor damage

(Total votes: 61,292)

Remember when both the Spurs and Heat were going to run over the Thunder and Celtics like they were minor inconveniences at best? The Thunder put a stop to that talk late last week, and the Celtics provided a rebuttal of their own on Sunday. Boston has held large leads in three games this series, although it's become somewhat proficient at letting the Heat get back in the swing of things -- an 18-point advantage nearly turned into disaster as the Heat nearly won it after forcing overtime. Fortunately for the Celtics, Rajon Rondo is playing out of his mind, and is very clearly not intimidated by the Heat's star power.

What do you make of Rajon Rondo accusing the Heat of ''complaining and crying to the referees'' during a halftime interview?

•  
  75%
  Justified
•  
  25%
  Out of line

(Total votes: 16,129)

What impact did officiating have on the outcome of Game 4 of the Heat-Celtics series?

•  
  45%
  Little impact
•  
  15%
  No impact
•  
  40%
  Big impact

(Total votes: 55,149)

Who should take the last shot for the Heat in close games?

•  
  43%
  LeBron James
•  
  57%
  Dwyane Wade

(Total votes: 74,847)

How much of a boost will Chris Bosh provide to the Heat in Game 5?

•  
  35%
  Major boost
•  
  48%
  Minor boost
•  
  17%
  No boost

(Total votes: 48,713)