Every decent coach out there will tell you that if you're thinking out on the court, you're screwed.  You've got to react.  Sure... when there are stoppages you can process what you've seen and come up with ways to combat it.  But when the play is going on... you have less than a second to react to what's going on or else whatever opportunity was there is gone.

Right now, when it comes to taking jumpers, Rajon Rondo is thinking... not reacting to the defense.  It's a slight enough hesitation to throw the entire play, and shot, out of whack. 

Rondo is still working on his mechanics, trying to shoot with more arc. But he said he will continue to struggle a bit with when to take his shot.

“It’s just how I play,” he said. “It’s hard for me to get the mindset to shoot the ball when I’m open. I always try to pass first. When I shoot the ball, I’ve got to think shot.”

As to whether it’s a sign of disrespect when opponents play off him, he said, “It is, but at the end of the day I just try to dominate the game in other ways.”

Rondo certainly has that ability to dominate games in other ways, but knocking down the jumper will only make that easier.

The Celtics aren't asking Rajon Rondo to drop 20 a game.  They're asking him to run their team and be a defensive menace.  When it comes to offense, running the team will become a lot easier if the defense has to respect your jump shot.  That opens up passing lanes.  It opens up space for Rondo to drive and dish.  And it opens up room for guys to work without fear of some roaming defender that has left Rondo because he won't take a 15 footer.

This is not an indictment on Rondo's jumper.  I actually think he's dialing it in.  You can make all the fuss you want about his ridiculously low free throw percentage.  I'm not that concerned by it.  He's not that far off.  The jumper is coming. 

Any professional marksman will tell you that you don't just assemble a rifle and shoot it.  You've got to practice with it.  You've got to figure out if what you see in the sight is actually going to translate into you hitting the target. 

Shooting a jumper, especially when you've got more than a decade of muscle memory fighting you, is the same.  Rondo will get it.

He's just got to shoot it.