Rondo out with torn ACL
Boston Celtics all-star point guard Rajon Rondo has torn his ACL in his right knee and will miss the remainder of the season.
Rondo experienced soreness working out before the game versus the Miami Heat, complaining of a hamstring issue and team doctor Brian McKeon declared Rondo out for the game. The guard then went to New England Baptist Hospital for the MRI where tests showed the ACL tear, an injury from which it usually takes up to a year to recover.
A date for the surgery had not been scheduled as of Sunday afternoon, said team spokesman Brian Olive, who confirmed that Rondo’s season is finished.
Rondo was apparently injured in the fourth quarter of the Celtics’ 123-111 double-overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks Friday night at Philips Arena. He stayed in the game and played through two overtimes in a 123-111 loss. Rondo posted a triple-double (16 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists) in that outing, which proved to be his last of the season.
“Obviously the Rondo news is tough,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said after the game. “I knew before the game, but I didn’t tell anyone. Obviously it was pretty emotional.”
The team hastily released the news during the third quarter versus the Heat after an ABC reporter got Rondo to acknowledge the injury. Scores of fans found out the news through Twitter on their cellphones, and the atmosphere at the Garden became eerie.
Rondo, who was averaging 13.7 points, 11.1 assists, and 5.6 rebounds, told the team of his fate after their 100-98 double-overtime victory over Heat. Most of his teammates had already sensed something serious.
“It’s tough on everybody,” center Kevin Garnett said. “Young’un [Rondo] is becoming the heart and soul of this team. He’s coming into his own. He’s had some bumps in the road but we’re trying to be supportive for him. It was a blow, I’m not even going to lie, it was a blow. We was here, talking about the game and then he walked in, he was quiet and the staff came in and told us what was going on and it went quiet.”
Rivers wouldn’t say whether the club will seek a point guard through free agency or trade; for now he will rely on Leandro Barbosa, Courtney Lee, and Jason Terry to play the position.
“That’s a blow, a huge blow for us,” Rivers said. “When something like this happens, we’ll find someone that’s already in our locker room that’s going to play terrific, and I have no idea who it is.”
Let’s hope that the Celtics can bounce back from Rondo’s injury and hopefully return to the NBA Finals.
