Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo will make his season debut on Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers. The All-Star will be restricted to around 20 minutes of playing time per game as he works to return to basketball shape, CSN New England reports.
After almost a year since tearing his ACL, Rondo will return to the Celtics lineup on Friday night. In an effort to keep him healthy and let his body adjust to playing again in the NBA, Rondo is expected to play just five minutes per quarter as part of his minutes restriction.
"He hasn't played basketball for a year," Celtics president Danny Ainge said, via CSNNE. "What I've seen throughout my professional basketball career, the ACL injury is something that every player has to overcome, coming back mentally not just physically."
Although Rondo is a four-time NBA All-Star, Ainge isn't expecting Rondo put up huge numbers right away.
"...I anticipate some adjustments, just getting used to playing and feeling confident in playing and returning to the player he was. I do think he will get there. If that means a week, a month, I don't know. ...
"Fans are pretty smart. They know he hasn't played basketball for a year and he's just been practicing. I'm optimistic that Rondo will be pretty good when he's back."
Rondo's minutes per game will increase as the season goes on, but first-year coach Brad Stevens acknowledged it is the medical staff's decision to determine when and by how much Rondo's playing time increases.
"I'll wait to be told what to do," said Stevens. "And that is the way I've always done it. That's the way these guys, our medical staff, do a phenomenal job. I'm never in the business of trying to do their job. They know what they're doing. They just tell me."
Tipoff against the Lakers is at 7:30 p.m. ET.
