The Los Angeles Lakers announced point guard Rajon Rondo underwent successful surgery on Friday to repair a ligament in his right ring finger. He is expected to make a full recovery in four to five weeks.
Rondo sustained a Grade 3 sprain to his finger during the Lakers’ impressive win over the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day. It dampened what was a stellar performance for the veteran as his leadership was invaluable for the team as they remained afloat without LeBron James.
James suffered what was diagnosed as a left groin strain in the third quarter and never returned after walking gingerly off the court. It’s unclear when he will return from what’s now been reported as a ‘significant’ strain.
For Rondo, it marks a second time he’s required surgery on his right hand. He played in just three games after returning from last month;s surgery. The first operation followed a thrilling victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Unbeknownst to most at the time, Rondo suffered a fracture in the third metacarpal on his right hand in the fourth quarter. Rondo missed 17 games during the five-week recovery, which included a minor setback as his hand was drained due to residual swelling.
Rondo presumably will again remain active in providing instruction at practices and from the bench during games.