Rondo: 'I won’t come back unless I know I’m myself again'

Rondo: 'I won’t come back unless I know I’m myself again'
Baxter Holmes, Globe Staff October 23, 2013 11:00 PM

Rajon Rondo said he’ll be returning this season, but the All-Star Celtics point guard who is recovering from knee surgery said he just doesn’t know when exactly.

“Whenever I’m able to jump off my right leg and probably dunk, that’s when I think I’ll be back to play,” Rondo said after the Celtics closed out their preseason Wednesday with a 101-97 win over the Brooklyn Nets at TD Garden, giving Boston a 2-6 preseason record.

Rondo tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in January and had surgery the next month.

He is not expected to play when the Celtics open their regular season Oct. 30 against the Raptors in Toronto, and there has been speculation that Rondo might not play until December or later.

Rondo is still not allowed to do contact drills, but he said he just got fitted for his first brace, “so I don’t think contact will be too far from now. I’m just waiting to get cleared by my doctor.”

He said his right leg is at about 87 percent, “give or take, depending on how my day goes.”

But Rondo, as he has said before, reiterated that he wants to be his old self when he returns.

“If they want me to ease into it -- it’s going to be hard to tell me to ease into something,” he said. “Once I get back out there, I want to go full speed. I don’t want any limitation. That’s when I’ll return, when I’m able to do that.

And when will he know when he’s ready?

“I’ll know when it’s right,” he said. “Everybody is different, each injury is different… For me, when I come back, I won’t come back unless I know I’m myself again.”

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Late Dec-Mid Jan I think.


KJ

Gee...where did I hear that before.........hmmmmmmmmm

Oh I Know...........DERRICK ROSE

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K-J

HOW ABOUT NEXT SEPTEMBER!

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112288,

Rondo's ACL tear was partial, and thus less severe. His knee is basically healed by now, all that he has to do is strengthen it.

Derrick Rose's ACL tear was basically from being out so long then coming back to play with high intensity and his body couldn't handle the strain. His injury was more catastrophic. Also, Rose's game relies a lot more heavily on athleticism than Rondo does. So Rose didn't have much of a choice but to go through a long layoff.



KJ

KJ

Rondo is saving himself for at least a year so the Celtics can land a big star in the draft and pull some better players through trades with Humphries...maybe even Wallace.,

Rondo is not going to risk himself for a last or next to last team. he would be crazy....he is one more year away from a $60 - $100million dollar pay day deal!

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What I've been witnessing on the sidelines is a player that is highly involved with the team and has taken on a leadership role. I don't think sitting out intentionally is Rondo's style. He's a tough, prideful player and has never struck me as the type to just sit things out.


KJ

AS THE NBA SLOGAN SAYS

THINK BIG.....................BUCKS!

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