Celtics fans received disappointing news on Thursday as they learned that Kevin Garnett will likely sit for two weeks with a muscle strain. There was a glimmer of hope, however, since point guard Rajon Rondo was eyeing a return for the New Year’s Eve matchup against the Hornets.
Unfortunately, that might not be the case.
During his weekly stint on WEEI, Celtics head coach Doc Rivers said he was unsure if Rondo would be able to return from his ankle injury in time for Friday’s matchup since the point guard is still experiencing swelling in the area.
“Rondo is day to day,” Rivers said, according to ESPN.com. “I don’t know if you’ll see him tomorrow or not, but he’s getting close. So far each time he’s worked out there’s been some swelling and that’s a concern. We’re going to take it slow. We’re not going to push him back. We’re just going to wait until he’s ready to play.”
Rivers is smart to take things slow with his star point guard, as injuries have become all too common in the Hub. Rushing Rondo back could make things worse, and he’s already experienced a number of ailments this season.
Despite missing 10 games this year, Rondo continues to lead the NBA with 13.8 assists per game.
