Rajon Rondo Remains A 'Long Shot' To Play In Game 6 Vs. Celtics
BOSTON (CBS) -- It doesn't sound like the Celtics will have to worry about Rajon Rondo when they go for a series-clinching win in Chicago on Friday night
Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg said Thursday night it's still a "long shot" that Rondo plays as he recovers from a broken right thumb.
"Nothing's changed as of now," Hoiberg said in a conference call, via ESPN. "We had a film session in the hotel this morning. Obviously we didn't do anything on the court before we left. Rajon, most likely, will come in and work out tonight, but like we talked about [Wednesday] at the game, it's still a long shot that he's back on the court, at least in this series."
Rondo suffered the injury in Chicago's Game 2 win in Boston last week. The point guard made a huge impact against his former team in the first two games of the series, averaging 11.5 points, 10 assists and 8.5 rebounds as the Bulls took the first two games in Boston.
Chicago's offense hasn't been the same without Rondo, averaging 93 points without Rondo after scoring 104 in each of the first two games of the series. The Celtics have taken advantage of the absence and are on the verge of advancing to the second round for the first time under head coach Brad Stevens.
As Celtics fans know, things can change with Rondo quickly and he is the kind of player who will play through pain. But he said after Chicago's morning shootaround before Wednesday's Game 5 loss in Boston that he wouldn't play until doctors told him it was no longer a risk to further injure the thumb, and that doesn't appear to be the case just yet.
Hoiberg said Thursday night that Isaiah Canaan will once again get the start in Rondo's place in Game 6.
Tune in to Celtics-Bulls Game 6 on 98.5 The Sports Hub -- the flagship station of the Boston Celtics. Pregame coverage begins at 7:30pm!