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Los Angeles Lakers PG Rajon Rondo is “hopeful” to play in Game 1 of the second round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs, per coach Frank Vogel. The Lakers are awaiting the winner of Game 7 between the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night.
Frank Vogel says not only is the team hopeful Rajon Rondo will be in uniform Friday, he is also hopeful Rondo will be in the rotation.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) September 2, 2020
Rondo has been sidelined all playoffs after fracturing his hand before the restart. He was set to return against the Portland Trail Blazers, but his back flared up with spasms and he was held out of Games 4 and 5. So now it looks like Rondo will get back in the lineup to start the second round.
If Rondo gets back into the lineup, it shouldn’t impact anyone on the Lakers too much. He’d likely be on a minutes restriction, so tops Rondo will play maybe 15 minutes or so. Alex Caruso, Danny Green and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope have been eating up most of the back court minutes. If and when Rondo gets back to full speed, he may leech some minutes from those three. Until then, the Lakers are all LeBron James and Anthony Davis really.