Rajon Rondo Will Play In Game 1 Of Lakers' Second-Round Playoff Series Against Rockets

Rondo, who has been sidelined for nearly eight weeks, will finally make his return.

Rajon Rondo, who has been sidelined for nearly eight weeks, will play in Game 1 of the Lakers' second-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets on Friday. 

Rondo has been sidelined since July 12 when he sustained a fractured right thumb in the team's second practice of the resumed NBA season at Walt Disney World. He was set to make his return in Game 3 of the Lakers' first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers on Aug. 22, but then suffered back spasms and was a late-game scratch. 

"Once that calmed down, it was a matter of getting a few more practices under his belt, which he did this week," Lakers coach Frank Vogel said before Friday's game. "Looked really good and that was the process."

Vogel added that the Lakers will be cautious with his return.

"We don’t have a hard-line minutes restriction on him, but we’ll be intelligent," Vogel said. "It'll be sort of a rehab start for him, get his feet wet. Obviously he hasn’t played a game in a long time."

The 34-year-old guard has not played since March 10, the day before the league was suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Rondo, a four-time All-Star and one-time NBA champion in 2008, was averaging 7.1 points, three rebounds and five assists in 20.5 minutes a game before the hiatus.