When the Bulls first announced Rajon Rondo‘s thumb fracture on Friday, they indicated that he’d be re-evaluated in seven to 10 days and may not be ready to return at that time. However, with Chicago’s first round series now tied at two games apiece, it sounds like the veteran point guard may be looking to force the issue.
According to Nick Friedell of ESPN.com, Rondo has been ruled out for Game 5 on Wednesday, but was taking jump shots before Tuesday’s practice, with his hand no longer in a hard cast. Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg insisted today that it’s still a “long shot” that Rondo gets back on the court in the series, but he acknowledged that it’s a possibility.
“It’s so early in the process,” Hoiberg said of Rondo’s potential return for the Bulls. “Just watching him wince a little bit as the ball was coming to him makes me think it’s a long shot, but if there’s anybody that can do it, will try to fight through it, it’s Rondo. Just because the competitor that he is and obviously wanting to get back out there. Doing everything that he can to put himself into position, knowing that it’s obviously still a long shot for that to happen.”
Here are a couple more updates on noteworthy injuries from around the NBA:
- Injured center Ian Mahinmi said today that he still hopes to return to the Wizards before the end of the first round series vs. Atlanta, but he has yet to practice with the team, tweets Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. While Mahinmi says he’s ahead of schedule in his recovery from a strained left calf, head coach Scott Brooks suggests the big man has been ruled out for Game 5, and he’s skeptical about Mahinmi’s availability for Game 6 (Twitter links via Buckner).
- With his Trail Blazers out of the playoffs, there’s no longer any need for Jusuf Nurkic to rush his return. Nurkic said today during his exit interview with local media that he expects his leg injury to take about two to three months to heal, per Joe Freeman of The Oregonian (Twitter link).
- On Monday, we passed along word that Austin Rivers will return for the Clippers in Tuesday’s Game 5 against Utah. Rivers will be on a minutes restriction tonight.
As s Celtics fan I’ve never liked Rondo but if there’s one thing he has it’s heart… In the playoffs anyway.
I’ll never forget when he came back for Boston and played with a broken arm that one year. Pretty awesome.
Bulls fan here. I used to despise Rondo. Especially because of all of those mid-late 2000’s playoff battles against the Celtics.
I never thought I’d ever cheer for the guy, but I gotta say, he really won me over. He definitely has heart, and I hope they resign him for another few years.
He don’t take no s h ! T. That’s for sure.
Frankly, if you’re a Celtics fan, I don’t know how you could dislike Rondo. Rondo is one of my favorite players mainly because you love him if he is on your team but hate him if he is against you. I loved Rondo because he had heart and he had hustle. He was also a true Pass First PG, a dying breed in today’s NBA.
Espn has a link from late last night that he had another private workout last night and IS pushing to play game 5. Should probably throw that update in here
The wizards need a center what they have now is nothing a cry baby