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Rondo’s status for opener up in air
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 point guard Rajon Rondo won’t be sure until game time whether he’ll be able to play in the season opener on Wednesday night against the Brooklyn Nets.
Rondo, who has a broken hand, said he’ll know when he wakes up from a pregame nap whether he’ll be good to go.
“When I wake up from my nap, I’ll let you know,” Rondo said. “If I sleep really, really well tonight, and (Wednesday) afternoon with my nap, I’ll let you know how I’m feeling.”
Rondo has been elusive leading up to the opener about the condition of his hand.
“I think it’s more about his comfort level right now,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. “I think (the trainers) feel like he’s progressed well and healed appropriately. I just asked him what he wants me to say and he said, ‘Tell (the media) I’m 83 percent.’ I said I’ll just tell them you’re five-sixths of the way there.”
Rondo underwent surgery five weeks ago to fix a fractured metacarpal bone that was injured during a fall in a shower.
“I make the call at the end of the day, as far as my comfort level,” Rondo said. “I don’t want to have any second thoughts when I go out there and play.”
Rondo missed the first half of the 2013-14 season after reconstructive knee surgery.
“He’s looking good,” Celtics center Kelly Olynyk said.
