As Rajon Rondo goes...

AP Photo/Michael Dwyer

Low-flying birds indicate an impending storm.

A glut of falling acorns indicate a tough winter ahead.

And a good game out of Rajon Rondo indicates a Boston Celtics win.

Yes, on a team with Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, it's Rajon Rondo that is the best indicator of how the Celtics are playing.

Allen, Pierce and KG are capable of getting hot at any time. They're all heading into the Hall of Fame. And when one of them has an off night, the others can recognize the need to take over and find some other-worldly place to live for a while. But when Rondo is playing at his best, he makes the game easier for everyone on the court. And they know it.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he made the All-Star team this year," said Celtics Captain Paul Pierce. "He really changed the game. When he's on like he was on tonight, we're unbeatable."

Think of it -- three Porsches on a track. If one is breaking down, one of the others kicks it into fifth gear and wins the race. With Rajon Rondo clicking, the three Porsches can keep it in third or fourth gear and easily out-pace everyone without blowing out their engines. That's important on this team.

The reason the Celtics are unbeatable when Rondo is on, is because he forces everyone to pay attention to him. And it applies to both ends of the court. On the defensive end, Rondo can destroy the point of attack and throw an entire offense's timing off. He baits guys into making passes that he can tip with his freakishly long hands. And he slithers his way into the paint and uses his jumping ability to snatch defensive rebounds away from bigger guys so he can start the break.

On offense, he can be virtually un-guardable. His speed can get him anywhere he wants on the court. Once he's drawn defenders, he can find his teammates with a precision pass with either hand. If anyone lays off him at all, he can get to the rim with ease... where he can take contact and finish with authority when he needs to.

That's Rajon Rondo at his best. That's the Rondo the Golden State Warriors saw in the third quarter of last night's game. And that's why the Warriors couldn't hold onto a 12-point lead. Rondo took that from them, too.

Rondo isn't often mentioned in the "great young point guard" discussion. That's a place reserved for Chris Paul and Derron Williams. Rondo will get there in the national media's mind when Rondo does all these things more consistently.

Fair enough.

But I've seen Rondo take those guys on, and he's right there. I've seen Byron Scott switch Paul off Rondo because the Hornets were getting toasted. I've seen Rondo and Williams go toe-to-toe. Those guys are elite... but Rajon Rondo is knocking on the door.

And every time he does, it means the Celtics are knocking on the door of another championship.