Reuben Foster 49ers Jersey from SADASD's blog

”We’re expected to win now Josh Gordon Jersey Youth ,” Rondo said.

Rondo agreed to a one-year deal worth $9 million earlier this week to suit up alongside James, whose signing hasn’t yet been announced by the Lakers.

The veteran point guard is eager to be a mentor to Lonzo Ball, and he sees a chance for immediate success with the thoroughly revamped club. The Lakers haven’t made the playoffs for a franchise-record five consecutive seasons, but Rondo believes they’ll make immediate strides back toward contention for a 17th NBA championship.

”You put any group of players around LeBron James, as he has done (eight) straight times, he went to the finals,” Rondo said. ”So my expectations are the exact same thing. Even with the Warriors adding (DeMarcus Cousins) and the Rockets being who they are, I think we fit right up there in the mix. It is early, obviously, and I’m not promising anything, but at the end of the day, I expect to win. Nothing else.”

Rondo is a familiar figure to Lakers fans, and not necessarily in a good way. He played a major role for the Celtics when they met the Lakers in the NBA Finals, winning a ring with Boston in 2008 and losing to LA in 2010.

Seeing Rondo on the other side of that enduring NBA rivalry won’t be as weird to Rondo as it might be to some Lakers fans.

”Does it feel strange? Um, no,” Rondo said. ”My battles with the Lakers were over a decade ago Devin Hester Jersey Youth , and none of the players I was battling with are on the same roster.”

The 32-year-old Rondo expressed no concerns about playing with Ball, the precocious passer chosen by the Lakers with the second overall pick in last year’s draft. Ball will be sidelined for most of the summer with a torn meniscus in his left knee, but Rondo is eager to work on their chemistry in the fall.

”I’m excited to get a player that age and try to help him as much as I can,” said Rondo, a starter for all but small portions of his first 12 NBA seasons spent with five franchises.

Rondo sees the Lakers’ potential surplus of ball-handlers as an advantage. He isn’t worried about finding roles for everyone in coach Luke Walton’s up-tempo offense, which is designed to create plenty of offensive chances for every player.

”It will be very versatile, and I don’t think you’ll be able to scout and stick to one game plan as far as being able to stop a certain player,” Rondo said. ”I think guys like LeBron or myself, I haven’t played with a lot of guys that make plays for me. So it’s going to be exciting to be able to just get up, get a couple of easy looks, be able to push the pace in the open court.”

The Lakers also announced the re-signing of guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who got a one-year deal worth $12 million to provide a perimeter shooting threat to an offense that could still use more outside shooters.

The Lakers haven’t yet announced the acquisitions of James or veterans Lance Stephenson and JaVale McGee during a thorough makeover following the worst half-decade in franchise history.

—

Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue was answering a question about Boston’s defense on LeBron James during a teleconference when he tripped the security system at his home.

A piercing alarm sounded.

”Uh-oh,” Lue said Thursday as he punched in a code to silence the screaming siren.

While Lue and his home were clearly safe, and the light-hearted moment passed quickly, it was also symbolic of Cleveland’s urgent situation.

The Cavs are in a dangerous spot.

Beaten for the third time in Boston in these home-sweet-home Eastern Conference finals, Cleveland will face its second elimination game of the postseason on Friday night at Quicken Loans Arena.

Game 6 is for everything.

Except Adidas Ryan McDonagh Jersey , of course, if there’s a Game 7 on Sunday in Boston.

Fueled by fueled-up Boston fans who must feel some sort of birthright to see their cherished team play in the Finals, the youthful Celtics again showed zero fear or hesitation on their parquet floor on Wednesday night during a 96-83 win in Game 5 that was never in any doubt.

Despite shooting only 36 percent, the Celtics improved to 10-0 at home in the playoffs as coach Brad Stevens changed his starting lineup, shortened his rotation to seven and released waves of defenders at James, who looked worn down as he attempts to advance to the NBA Finals for the eighth consecutive year.

Lue noticed early in Game 5 that James was dragging, but he’s confident the 33-year-old, who was chosen All-NBA first team for a record 12th time, will be ready to save his season and prolong what could be his final games with the Cavs.

”I know he’ll be ready to play Game 6, so fatigue won’t be a problem and an issue,” Lue said. ”I’m pretty sure a lot of guys are tired during this stretch of the year. If I had to pick one guy and choose one guy to prevail, it would be LeBron. I know he’ll be great come tomorrow.”

Stevens started center Aron Baynes for the first time in the series and the move helped slow James, who had been crushing the Celtics when guard Terry Rozier switched on him. Rozier fronted James and got help from Baynes, the 6-foot-10, 254-pound Australian who contributed seven rebounds, six points and attitude.

”We’ve got a lot of tough guys on our team Reuben Foster 49ers Jersey ,” Stevens said. ”But I think they all will tell you Baynes is one of the toughest we’ve all been around.”

Now Stevens needs his team to show that same tenacity on the road, where Boston is just 1-6.

The Cavs, on the other hand, are counting on James to rebound.

He pushed as hard as he could in Game 5, but for one of the only times in what has been a transcendent 13th postseason, he couldn’t summon greatness.

He didn’t have his usual burst. He bent at the waist grabbing his shorts, his breathing labored. During timeouts, he wiped sweat and perhaps some frustration from his forehead.

James is tired – for good reason. His teammates are draining him.

Once again, James, who will play in his 99th game this season Friday, didn’t get nearly enough help from Cleveland’s other starters and Lue didn’t do him any favors, either.

James had 26 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Solid, but sub-par by his standards and he committed six turnovers and missed some makeable layups. James still managed to outscore the rest of Cleveland’s starters – Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, George Hill and J.R. Smith – 26-24.

Lue inexplicably left Kyle Korver off the floor for long stretches and following the game he curiously explained that Stevens’ rotation ”kind of threw us for a loop.”

Asked Thursday if he wished he had done anything differently Zack Martin Jersey Elite , Lue bluntly said: ”No.”

Thankfully, he’s got James, who has six 40-point games and two buzzer-beaters in these playoffs, to save the season.

He’s done it once already this spring, playing through cramps and scoring 45 points in a Game 7 win over Indiana. But he’s played nine games since, and gotten less and less rest as the playoffs have progressed. His body has been forced to handle more than he imagined.

James has been down 3-2 in the conference finals before. In 2012, he faced a Game 6 elimination in Boston and scored 45 points with 15 rebounds and five rebounds as Miami won.

Now he’s trying to keep this flawed Cavs team alive long enough for another trip to Boston.

On Friday, James will take the floor with his future hanging in the air. His second stint with the Cavs could end this summer if he opts out of his $35.6 million contract for next season and leaves again as a free agent, a decision he can delay again with a win.

But before he picks home or Philadelphia or Los Angeles or anywhere else, he’s got at least one more game in Cleveland.

Game 6.

”No question in my mind that he’ll bounce back,” Lue said.

—

.