Injury limits Rondo
Back is a factor in performance
While Rajon Rondo was back in uniform, his back kept him off the floor at the end of the game.
The Celtics' point guard scored 4 points on 2-of-6 shooting, dished 2 assists and grabbed 2 rebounds in 21 minutes during the 88-83 loss to Washington at TD Banknorth Garden last night.
He was returning to action after missing Saturday's loss at Washington with a back injury sustained Friday at New Jersey.
Rondo played 10 minutes in the third quarter last night but didn't play in the fourth quarter. Coach Doc Rivers described him as day to day.
"I just didn't think he was moving well," said Rivers. "I wasn't going to take the chance.
"That clearly puts us in a bind; we know that. But to me, I'm looking at the season as a whole. And we could've brought Rajon back in and that probably would've helped our offense run a little more efficiently. But I thought he was a little bit off and I wasn't going to take the chance."
Second chance
Assuming he's healthy, Rondo seems a safe bet to play in the Rookie Challenge Feb. 15 during NBA All-Star weekend. The game pits a nine-member rookie team against a nine-member sophomore team picked by the league's assistant coaches."It would be good to make it," said Rondo, who was not selected as a rookie last year. "But I still want to rest that weekend and get some time off to spend with my family."
Rondo went into last night's game 10th among sophomores in scoring with 9.0 points per game, second in assists (4.9), second in steals (1.67), and fifth in efficiency rating (13.1). It doesn't hurt that he is the starting point guard on the NBA's winningest team.
Rondo's competition at guard among NBA sophomores includes Portland's Brandon Roy, the Lakers' Jordan Farmar, Utah's Ronnie Brewer, Golden State's Kelenna Azubuike, and Memphis's Kyle Lowry. The sophomore team had five guards last year.
"He probably will [make] it," Rivers said. "I'd rather for him to have rest, to be honest. We don't have much of a break and we go straight to the West Coast."
Celtics rookie Glen Davis, however, will have a hard time making the roster for the game because of the long list of talented forwards in this season's class.
Even if Rondo isn't selected, he still plans on going to New Orleans to support his fellow Celtics on the Eastern Conference side. Rondo said he wouldn't be surprised if several other Celtics show such support.
"We are all close," he said. "We have fun. We're close off the court now. We'll support each other if somebody makes it. Kevin [ Garnett], he's going to make it. We'll probably be there to support him."
Asked how a team with eight new players got close so fast, Rondo said, "[Training camp in] Europe helped a lot. We have similar backgrounds. We like to do the same things. We like to play cards. Everybody likes to eat. We like the same music. We have a good time."
Wear it well
The NBA will announce today that the Celtics (team) and Garnett (individual) led jersey sales at the NBA Store in New York City and online at NBAStore.com through the holidays. It is the first time since the NBA began keeping track in 2001 that either the Celtics or Garnett were in the top spot. Paul Pierce was 12th on the individual jersey list . . . Celtics executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge said that while his eyes are open, the franchise isn't having any heated trade discussions or eyeing any free agents . . . Davis said his sore right knee is feeling better and the swelling is down . . . Pierce, Davis, and James Posey will perform a special play with students from Mattapan's Taylor Elementary School this morning as part of the Read to Achieve Program. The play is based on the children's book "Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type" by Doreen Cronin.