Rajon Rondo joins elite company in loss

Rajon Rondo #9 of the Boston Celtics reacts along with... — Rajon Rondo #9 of the Boston Celtics reacts along with teammate Keyon Dooling #51 in the first half against the Miami Heat. (May 30, 2012) Credit: Getty Images

By Bobby BonettMay 31, 2012

In the Celtics' overtime loss to the Heat Wednesday night, Rajon Rondo managed to do something only Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Magic Johnson and three others have done in the last 25 years.

Rondo finished the game with 44 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds; it was only the ninth time since since 1986 that a player scored at least 40 points and had at least 10 assists and five rebounds in a playoff game.

In addition to Jordan (three times), Barkley and Johnson, only Tracy McGrady, Clyde Drexler and Tony Parker have equaled or bettered the stat line.

Interestingly, the players that managed to match Rondo's performance are only 6-3 all-time; Johnson's Lakers lost to the Suns in Game 4 of the 1990 Western Conference semifinals, and Drexler's Blazers lost to the Lakers in Game 3 of the first round of the 1992 playoffs.

Player	Age	Date	Tm	Opp		MP	FG	FGA	FG%	TRB	AST	PTS
Michael Jordan	27-085	1990-05-13	CHI	PHI	W	42	16	31	.516	6	11	45
Rajon Rondo	26-098	2012-05-30	BOS	MIA	L	53	16	24	.667	8	10	44
Michael Jordan	26-075	1989-05-03	CHI	CLE	W	39	18	34	.529	7	10	44
Charles Barkley	30-101	1993-06-01	PHO	SEA	W	47	16	22	.727	15	10	43
Magic Johnson	30-272	1990-05-13	LAL	PHO	L	45	15	26	.577	6	10	43
Tracy McGrady	21-339	2001-04-28	ORL	MIL	W	50	14	32	.438	8	10	42
Clyde Drexler	29-312	1992-04-29	POR	LAL	L	46	14	23	.609	9	12	42
Tony Parker	25-344	2008-04-25	SAS	PHO	W	41	17	26	.654	5	12	41
Michael Jordan	26-091	1989-05-19	CHI	NYK	W	45	14	22	.636	5	10	40