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Rondo insists injury came during fall at home
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo insisted Monday that he suffered a broken bone in his left hand during a fall at home last week, while adding that he expects to remain with the team after his contract expires following this season.
Rondo is expected to miss 6-8 weeks with the injury, which he said happened during a fall at home, despite a report that he had been seen at a trampoline park recently.
“I slipped and tried to catch my hand,” he said Monday. “I actually almost caught myself. I landed on my knuckle on the windowsill in my home.”
General manager Danny Ainge said Rondo has “never lied to me that I’m aware of and I have no reason not to believe him,” and the team does not plan to investigate the incident.
Rondo, 28, has long been the subject of trade rumors and a perception that he is difficult to coach. But he appears happy playing for second-year head coach Brad Stevens, who took over last season from Doc Rivers.
“He’s the most positive coach I’ve ever played for,” said Rondo. “We talk a lot. He’s actually the guy I call and work out with. So it’s kind of unusual for the head coach to be the guy that you work out with.”
Rondo said he knows the rebuilt Celtics are not ready to compete for an NBA title this season, but he’s excited to return to the court.
“I’m just anxious to get back out there on the court and show what I can do,” he said. “I know this isn’t a championship team, but we’re going to go out there every night and play hard.”
