Rondo: ‘I’m not concerned’
In his postgame press conference following Saturday night’s 97-81 win over the Heat, Rajon Rondo said he wasn’t concerned about the elbow injury he suffered in the third quarter that at first glance looked like it might threaten the rest of his season.
“I’m not concerned,” said Rondo. “I’m glad we have a day off. I’ll be able to get a lot of treatment and hopefully I will be ready to play.”
Rondo went down in a heap at the 7:02 mark of the third quarter, pulled to the ground by Heat guard Dwyane Wade. It was a scary moment. The Celtics had been on a 14-6 run and the building was loud. When Rondo went down, you could hear a pin drop.
“I knew right away something was wrong when I went down,” said Rondo. “But thank God for Kevin (Garnett) because I was having trouble breathing. I was worried about my elbow but I was having trouble breathing. I just kept hearing tell me to breathe. Everything else took care of itself.”
Wade was called for a foul on the play. Asked about it, he said, “It’s a physical game, the game of basketball is a physical game. I’m not a dirty player, it’s physical. Everyone falls to the ground, everyone gets hurt, people get up.”
Rondo would not commit to whether or not he will play in Game 4, but it’s unlikely Rondo knows how he’ll feel at this time. Adrenaline can play a big part in coming back from an injury during a game. Rondo was clearly limited by his left arm, catching and throwing passes with his right arm and barely lifting the left arm during the fourth quarter.
“If I’m on the court, you may see me hold my arm but I’m not going to use it as an excuse. If D-West is out there, it’s the same way. That’s how we play. That’s our mentality. We show up Monday night and we’re on the court and we’re playing. Don’t ask me how I feel. I’m going to play regardless. I’m not going to use it as an excuse. We’re a no excuse team.”
West had 11 points and 3 assists in 25 minutes for the Celtics. That’s exactly what the Celtics want from West. It will be difficult for West to fill Rondo’s production should Rondo be unable to go Monday.
Said LeBron James, “Let’s just hope that it’s not something that can affect him long term.”
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