He wasn’t doing full contact 5-on-5, but Rajon Rondo was back at practice for the Boston Celtics Monday, tweets A. Sherrod Blakely at CSNNE.com. You can see the proof to the right.
It’s a good sign for Celtics fans.
But how soon can he be back to full on practices may be up to Rondo. At least according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
A league source says when Rajon Rondo returns to practice is his decision. sounds like he's been cleared #celtics
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) December 2, 2013
Boston is 7-12 without Rondo this season, but amazingly that is good enough for the nine seed in the East right now.
Rondo is returning from an ACL tear and has hinted December is when he’d like to return. But both the team and Rondo need to be patient and play for the long haul — it’s not about games in December, it’s about games three years from now. They need him to come back right to where he can be his old self.
Once the doctors clear him (if that has really happened) it falls to Rondo to know when he is ready. That may take longer than some fans want (see Rose, Derrick) but it needs to be on Rondo’s timetable. You can bet he wants to be out there but he has to think big picture, too.