Both the Boston Celtics and the Brooklyn Nets have pained stars heading into the regular season opener. While Brook Lopez recovers from a “mild right midfoot sprain” — hard to argue anything that happens to Lopez’s fragile foot is “mild,” but I digress — Boston Celtics star guard Rajon Rondo has spent the last month recovering from a broken left hand.
But with the opener just one day away, it seems like Rondo’s the favorite to play, if either sees the court at all.
According to the Boston Globe, Rondo has participated in each of the team’s last two full-contact practices, after only participating in non-contact drills.
The cheeky Rondo has put his chances at playing somewhere between 79 and 83 percent, and said Monday that he “didn’t think Wednesday was realistic,” but played in another full practice Tuesday and could be ready to go, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Glove.
It appears more and more like Rajon Rondo will play tomorrow vs #nets. He will practice today, then will be examined one final time #Celtics
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) October 28, 2014
Meanwhile, Lopez has only participated in non-contact drills twice since injuring his foot, without going full-contact at any time.
Nets coach Lionel Hollins said that Lopez wouldn’t be required to go through a full practice before playing but “I’d prefer it.”
General manager Billy King seemed unconcerned about whether or not Lopez played in the opener. “Wednesday is a possibility, but like I said from day one, we’ll shoot for Saturday,” King said Monday afternoon.