Rajon Rondo calls Cavaliers' Darius Garland 'best closer in the game' as point guard dazzles in January

Rajon Rondo has been with the Cavaliers for just 19 days, but the 16-year veteran has already seen enough of fellow point guard Darius Garland to call him “the best closer in the game.”

Rondo and Garland work out with the same trainer in California. Garland was the first Cavs player to text Rondo after hearing on Dec. 31 of what ended up as a three-team trade that brought him to Cleveland from the Los Angeles Lakers.

But that is still high praise from Rondo, 35, a two-time NBA champion, three-time league assists leader, and four-time All-Star guard.

“Right now I think he's the best closer in the game,” Rondo said Saturday on Zoom before the Cavs departed for Detroit ahead of Sunday’s game against the Pistons. “I've played with a lot of talented players. The way he puts the weight on his shoulders, he pretty much has to make every play in the fourth, which he has been doing, especially in that stretch coming from the West Coast trip.

“I think it's the best stretch of basketball I've seen a point guard play, 21 years old, in those tough environments and coming out with W's. Every guy he matched up against, so-called All-Stars you want to claim, he busted their ass and he did it with the dub as well.”

Rondo was referring to the Cavs’ six-game trip that began on Jan. 7 and spanned nine days. The Cavs went 5-1, defeating the Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Utah Jazz, San Antonio Spurs, and Oklahoma City Thunder. Their only loss was to the Golden State Warriors on Jan. 9, when Klay Thompson returned after a 941-day absence due to a torn ACL and ruptured Achilles.

Dating back to a Jan. 10 game at Sacramento, Garland, who turned 22 on Wednesday, has averaged 19.9 points, 11.8 assists, and 4.4 rebounds and has posted seven double-doubles as the Cavs have gone 8-1. That assist number is higher than Rondo’s 11.7 that led the NBA in 2011-12 when he was with the Boston Celtics and in 2015-16 when he played for the Kings.

Rondo said Garland is surrounded by people who know the game, including his father Winston, who played point guard for seven years in the NBA. But Rondo said it takes more than that to be an effective closer.

“He’s a sponge,” Rondo said of Garland. “I think he wants to be great. He puts the work in, studies the game, even before I got here. He definitely has poise. He’s very calm. And he’s a great leader, especially at such a young age.”

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Rondo also credited Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff for the development of Garland, the fifth overall pick in 2019 who played only five games at Vanderbilt University.

“He has probably the best coach you can ask for as a point guard as far as showing you the ropes and allowing you the freedom to make mistakes,” Rondo said. “But he doesn’t make many mistakes in the fourth, especially with the defenses that he’s facing every night. I was telling him, ‘It’s always going to be an emphasis to stop you.’ He has found ways around it and continues to be efficient. Shooting the ball, more efficient in his passing and making the right decisions.”

Hoping to be named an All-Star reserve on Thursday, Garland is averaging career-highs in points (19.7), assists (8.2, sixth in the league), rebounds (3.3), steals (1.26), field-goal percentage (.467), free-throw percentage (.907) and minutes (34.7). The only Cavs player to finish a season with averages of at least 18 points, seven assists, one steal and shoot .450 or better is Mark Price, who achieved that feat three times on the way to having his jersey retired.

Garland wasn’t the only new teammate praised by Rondo as he analyzed the team. Seven-foot rookie center/forward Evan Mobley also drew raves from Rondo, and after discussing Garland and Mobley, Rondo asked why there had been no questions about center Jarrett Allen.

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As for what stands out about Mobley, Rondo said, “I think he might be the most talented rookie I've ever played with being able to control so many things on the court even without scoring the basketball.”

Explaining further, Rondo cited Mobley’s length and knack for the ball. Mobley, 20, the third overall pick from USC, is averaging 15 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.7 blocked shots in 41 games.

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“Things you can't coach or teach, he has those skill sets,” Rondo said. “It's just a matter of him developing ... you turn 24 or 25 years old and you get a little bit stronger, the physical part of the body. He'll have those games elevated and controlled even more once he gets a little bit more physical.”

Rondo also called Mobley “probably the most quiet rookie” he’s ever seen. Bickerstaff said what Mobley is doing is “extremely rare.”

“There have been rookies that came into the league and got great numbers, but you don’t see many rookies that come into the league and impact winning the way that he has,” Bickerstaff said.

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Going into Saturday’s games, the Cavs (30-19) were third in the Eastern Conference, two games out of first.

Asked why Mobley’s game translates into winning, Rondo said, “I think his unselfishness. It’s not like he’s out there trying to look for numbers or make it seem like he’s Rookie of the Year. He just kind of plays within the flow of the game, takes his shots when need be, and does everything a coach asks of him.”

Rondo was familiar with the game of Allen, 23, the 22nd overall pick by the Brooklyn Nets in 2017. Acquired in the January 2021 multi-team James Harden trade, Allen signed a five-year, $100 million contract in August. Playing alongside Mobley, Allen has averaged 16.1 points, 11 rebounds, and 1.4 blocked shots in 41 games.

“I was aware of how he protects the rim. But I can’t speak enough about how great of a teammate he is,” Rondo said of Allen. “He does his work, doesn’t complain and he doesn’t complain when he doesn’t get the ball. He just goes out and makes it happen. With a bunch of hard-working guys on the team it’s so fun to work [with], play with and you’re willing to go the distance with all these guys.”

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Rondo said what makes Allen and Mobley so effective together is their unselfishness.

“There’s no jealousy, there’s no 'me' involved in anything they do on the court and they’re willing to play well off one another,” Rondo said. “They’re happy for each other’s success, and I think that goes a long way. At a very young age it’s hard to come by.

“I’ve had experience in my past, teams that had even older guys who made X amount of dollars and a certain amount of games, certain people aren’t always happy for the next. Just very refreshing to see that at such a young age, and hopefully they can keep this core together.”

Rondo credited Bickerstaff’s leadership, especially directing such a young team.

“It can go the complete opposite. A lot of guys haven’t had their second deal, so guys could be playing for certain things,” Rondo said. “But J.B. has done a great job, and these guys understand if we win then we all win.”

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Rondo said Bickerstaff is what makes the Cavs such a great fit for him as he approaches his 36th birthday on Feb. 22.

“I think he’s laid the blueprint,” Rondo said. “The respect that he has throughout the organization. He’s been the perfect fit for these guys, and they look at him as a father figure. He jokes all the time, but when he doesn’t guys are quiet, they listen and they understand it’s time to lock in.

“He has that respect that I haven’t seen throughout my career. It’s fun to be a part of and it’s great to see, especially me being 16 years in, understanding that there are still teams and coaches like this in the NBA.”

Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Cavs at www.beaconjournal.com/cavs. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MRidenourABJ.

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This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Cavaliers Rajon Rondo praises Darius Garland, Evan Mobley