Guess Smart is our starting PG - Rondo breaks hand

http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story/_/id/11595509/boston-celtics-point-guard-rajon-rondo-breaks-hand

Rajon Rondo breaks hand in fall

Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo suffered a broken left hand and had surgery Friday, the team announced.

He is expected to miss six to eight weeks, the Celtics said.

The Celtics said the injury was a result of a fall at his home Thursday night. A source told ESPN's Jeff Goodman that Rondo slipped in the shower and broke a bone in the back of his hand.

With Rondo out, rookie Marcus Smart will get reps in training camp at the point -- which would have been the case even if the Celtics' All-Star wasn't hurt, the source told Goodman.

On Tuesday, Celtics decision-makers, including owner Wyc Grousbeck, made clear again that they desire to keep Rondo with the team for the long-term future. Grousbeck raised some eyebrows Sunday when he told a television station that Rondo is "super stubborn" and questioned how coachable he is.

"It's my goal to keep Rondo here," Grousbeck said. "I think we all want that. And I actually honestly think -- he should speak for himself -- I think Rajon wants to stay, or would be very happy to stay. And we'll see how this season goes, and how the negotiations go, but he's proud to be a Celtic. I know that. He's proud to wear that [2008 title] ring and he deserved it."

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge was downright exasperated when asked yet again about Rondo's future in Boston.

"Are you seriously asking me that again? Yes, we expect Rajon to be in Boston for the long term," Ainge said. "Does that need to be asked any more by anybody ever again?"

Smart may get some reps, but Pressey is the starter in camp. That would not be, um, smart, to throw Smart into the PG role immediately.

It's Rondo's left hand, so he can still do lots of drills and shooting stuff. Practicing free throws one-handed might not be a bad thing.

Well, the good news is that this will drive down his new contract price. Sheesh! The really, really good news is, it's just a broken hand. That's nothing. As outside said, he'll be able to do the running drills and stationary bike. At least it wasn't his knee.

I'm a lot older than he is and, I think it's safe to say, I've taken a lot more showers at home than he has and I've never fallen in the shower.

Must be that razor-edge uber athleticism those guys have. Slugs like me take it slow and careful when dealing with slick surfaces instead of trying to hydroplane out of the shower like it's a scene in a Bond flick.



bob



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bob



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My guess is this helps Pressey stick around just a little bit longer.

An interesting twist. I have never fallen in the shower but I have slipped a few times but my athleticism allowed me to regain my form and end the play by slam dunking the soap.

Dboss

I hate to say it, but the thought did enter my mind that maybe the "shower" thing is a coverup for something else. I wish I wasn't so cynical, and when I think about it, I'm inclined to believe him, but I did have that thought.

Sigh.

I saw an AP wire report this morning that says it was a broken finger and that Avery Bradley is expected to fill in.  They go on to talk about the 40 or so games Bradley played at point last season and mention Pressey and Smart as also available to play point.

Interesting.  Of course as is often mentioned here, AP's accuracy is less than perfect.

Outside wrote:I hate to say it, but the thought did enter my mind that maybe the "shower" thing is a coverup for something else. I wish I wasn't so cynical, and when I think about it, I'm inclined to believe him, but I did have that thought.

Sigh.

I'm sorry to say that that thought was my first one as well.  I had the same wish also.

SMH at myself.

gyso

Sounds like we will getting a pretty good lotto pick for 2015, boys and girls. How long does a broken finger take to heal? Half a season? 3/4?

db

1.  Unless the surgeons at New England Baptist Hospital are part of a vast green conspiracy the injury, and subsequent surgery, actually happened.

2.  Rondo is coming into a contract year, he needs all the great games he can play, so it is unlikely this is a self-inflicted wound, neither conscious and subconscious.

3.  Rondo's return last year was ok, not great.  That's understandable, he was returning from ACL surgery but being able to play is not the same as being back to where he was pre-injury. "Ok, not great but understandable" is not what GMs around the league want to see and hear, not if they're going to get into a bidding war for him.

4.  S--t happens.  At least he didn't break his hand by punching his friend in the head like Big Baby did.  And it is his left hand.

5.  He has been playing with his teammates in pickup games, which I'm sure have been informally observed by the coaching staff, so he has had a chance to create some chemistry with the newbies.

6.  Given the uncertainty entering this year with Rondo's contract, it might not be the worst thing that the players behind him on the depth chart get more reps early on when the games don't matter.

7.  Rondo played an entire 2nd half of a playoff game against Miami with one arm dangling at his side, like Tom Robinson in "To Kill a Mockingbird".

There's limited ways of spinning this into a good thing, although I tried with #6, but it's not the end of the world neither.  It's not a knee, it's not a ligament or tendon or joint related injury it's a simple bone break and at worst he'll miss the first month of the season and at best he'll miss 3-4 games.  If he sprained his ankle badly playing pick up games with his teammates would we predict the end of the world from that?  I'd MUCH rather have a simple bone break than a joint related injury.


FYI, here is the left (or 5th) metacarpal bone.







bob



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I agree with Outside on two counts.  Since it seemed as though Rondo's hand was already bandaged (after remarkably quick surgery) when the news of the injury was released, less ethical people than Rondo and/or the Celtics could have used it as some sort of delaying excuse with no way for people to check it visually.  However, I dispelled that notion quickly and was rather ashamed at myself for thinking such a thought.  And, besides, I wouldn't have a slim clue as to why a delaying excuse would be needed.

Also, it's impossible for me to believe that Brad would throw a completely untested (in the pros) floor general to the wolves.  Pressey's the natural fill-in, at least to start the season; and frankly I'm excited to see him pushing the ball as usual (especially if the offense is destined to be more uptempo) and deal with a motion offense (if that's the way Brad will go).

Sam