Published 10:26 IST, November 26th 2019
Rajon Rondo explains how he ‘almost teared up’ at first game back in Boston in 2015
Rajon Rondo admits he ‘almost teared up’ in first game back in 2015. He remembered how his first game felt like "a long day” filled with “a lot of nervousness.
- SportFit
- 2 min read
Despite having already played for five NBA teams since leaving Boston in 2014, Los Angeles Lakers point guard Rajon Rondo will always remain as a Celtics man in most fans’ eyes.
The four-time NBA All-Star, who enjoyed his best years in the pros during his eight-year stay in Beantown, recently reminisced about the first time he returned to the TD Garden as a visitor.
Rajon Rondo admits he ‘almost teared up’
Unlike other stars who get showered with jeers upon facing their old teams, the Boston faithful were always warm to their former floor general, who led them to a title in 2008. Now 33 years old, Rondo remembered how his first game felt like "a long day” filled with “a lot of nervousness.”
While donning a Lakers jersey, he famously hit a game-winning shot against the Celtics last season, giving them a 129-128 win last February.
Rondo has slowly reintegrated himself to the Lakers’ new and improved roster this year, after missing the team’s first eight games of the season with a mild calf strain. He’s been averaging 8.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.0 steals in just around 21.3 minutes per game.
The Lakers and Celtics are yet to face each other this year and are scheduled to play in January.
Recently on Saturday, Kiki VanDeWeghe who is the Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations had announced that Rondo had been fined a reported $35,000 for making unsportsmanlike physical contact with Oklahoma City Thunder guard Dennis Schroder, verbally abusing a game official, and failing to leave the court in a timely manner upon sending off.
Rondo and Schroder were involved in the incident for which the former was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected, occurred with 10:20 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ 130-127 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on November 22 at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Updated 13:25 IST, November 26th 2019