The Boston Celtics will be without their starting point guard when they take on the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday night and for a little bit longer than that. Celtics GM Danny Ainge told WEEI's "The Big Show" that Rajon Rondo would "miss a couple of weeks" with a left ankle injury.
Rondo, who tweaked his ankle in the fourth quarter of the Celtics' 118-116 win over the New York Knicks on Wednesday, was hopeful that he would play on Thursday night. Those hopes have been shattered into a 1,000 pieces.
The talented point guard is averaging 11.2 points, 13.8 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game in 20 contests for the Eastern Conference-leading Celtics.
Expect former Knick Nate Robinson to pick up most of the slack for the C's. Robinson filled in admirably for Rondo when he missed four games with foot and hamstring injuries earlier in the season, averaging 16.5 points and 5.5 assists in just under 30 minutes per game. Boston finished that stretch 3-1.
Rondo will not be the only one with star power sidelined for Thursday's TNT matchup. Boston will also be without center Shaquille O'Neal while Atlanta will play without guard Joe Johnson and sixth-man Jamal Crawford.