Fansided

Dirk Nowitzki: Rajon Rondo A ‘Fierce’ Competitor, Thrilled To Have Him

By Mike Dyce

Dec 15, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo (9) in a game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. The Celtics defeated the 76ers 105-87. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 15, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo (9) in a game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. The Celtics defeated the 76ers 105-87. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Dallas Mavericks superstar Dirk Nowitzki is thrilled to have Rajon Rondo, a fierce competitor who elevates his game in the playoffs.

More from Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks showed they’re serious about contending in the final years of Dirk Nowitzki’s career by trading for Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo. Nowitzki thinks it is a solid addition, and praised Rondo for being a fierce competitor who elevates his game in the playoffs.

“I think he’s showed in his career that he’s a fierce, fierce competitor,” Nowitzki said, via the Dallas Morning News. “In the West, that position is as loaded as it gets, so he’s going to have his hands full every night and I think he’s going to look forward to that.

“As we’ve seen throughout his career, when the competition gets higher, he raises his level and he’s at his best in playoffs and big-time games. That’s exactly what you want. On a team that has aspirations to go high and play deep in the playoffs, you need a guy who gets better as it gets later in the year.”

This isn’t just about the eyeball test, the numbers back up Nowitzki’s comments. In the regular season Rondo averages 11 points, 8.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds. In the playoffs the numbers go up in all three of those categories, 14.5 points, 9.2 assists and 6 rebounds.

More from FanSided

Home/Dallas Mavericks