Rajon Rondo is playing arguably his worst basketball as a professional this month, but based on a teammate's comments on Wednesday night, there may be a very good explanation for it.
Kevin Garnett told reporters that the C's point guard is playing through an injury.
"Rondo's playing hurt," KG said after the team's 92-80 victory over the Pacers at the TD Garden, according to the Boston Herald. "You know, [he’s] hurt. He’s giving us everything he has, and he’s grinding."
Rondo has scored just four points in the last three games, including no points on 0-for-2 shooting in Wednesday's win. He was 1-for-10 on Monday in New Jersey — a game in which he was forced to leave briefly to get his right ankle taped — and shot 1-for-6 in Boston's win over the Bucks the night before. He's dished out just 20 helpers in the last three games and hasn't reached double digits in assists since March 4. Wednesday night was also his first game of the season without a rebound.
The C's are clearly hurting as well, as they're just 2-3 in their last five games.
"I think there's nights where he's playing countless minutes for us, and he's not playing washed-up guys," KG added. "He's playing [Darren] Collison and [Deron Williams] and all these guys, and they're coming at him. He knows that. So he's just a little focused in.
"But everybody's banged up at this point, and [Rondo is] no different from that."
