Commentary

Rondo experiment over in Dallas

Dallas Mavericks guard Rajon Rondo (9) dribbles during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers Wednesday, April 15, 2015, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Dallas Mavericks guard Rajon Rondo (9) dribbles during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers Wednesday, April 15, 2015, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

His time in Dallas was short and nothing remotely close to sweet. The end came unceremoniously and, for that matter, without any recognition that the end was actually here, not even for Rajon Rondo himself.

The Mavericks point guard was charged with a personal foul and a technical foul 10 seconds into the second half. At the 34-second mark, he fouled James Harden again.

And that was it.

Rondo did not play the rest of Game 2 Tuesday night, and on Wednesday, Mavs Coach Rick Carlisle announced Rondo was out indefinitely with a back injury suffered in the first minute of the game. It was one that no one noticed or mentioned afterwards, including Carlisle who went with his standard "coach's decision" to explain Rondo sitting the final 23 minutes.

In case a suspicious back injury did not provide everyone with enough of a clue that the Rondo experiment had reached its inevitable conclusion, Carlisle put a bow on it.

Asked if he ever expected to see Rondo in a Mavs' uniform again, Carlisle said, "No, I don't."

And just to check on the possibility of any misunderstanding, I contacted Carlisle via text Wednesday night to make sure he heard the question referred to "ever again" and not just "this series."

Carlisle responded: "Don't remember exact wording."

Another Mavs official said, "He doesn't expect to see Rajon in a Mavs uniform."

Had Carlisle said, "Oh, gosh, I didn't hear the finality of that question," then perhaps that tiny faction of Rondo fans in Dallas (if such a thing exists) could have held out hope for his return.

If you want to get all technical, it will be owner Mark Cuban's and President Donnie Nelson's decision whether to pursue Rondo as a free agent this summer, but the writing on this one has been clear for a while.

This was a trade that I and many others championed when it happened last December. The Mavericks were not going deep into the playoffs with Jameer Nelson and Raymond Felton running the point.

As it turns out, Rondo got them no further than an 0-2 hole against Houston, and the only hope for escape rests on the belief that Rondo's absence tonight will energize the team and its loyal fan base.

Yes, it's that bad with the once supremely talented point guard who now doesn't make 40 percent of his foul shots, struggles to facilitate others and approaches each game with a look of practiced indifference.

Actually, Rondo wore that same look for years with the Celtics but managed -- as long as the team was competitive -- to play his tail off and rank among the league's assist leaders. In Dallas, his numbers across the board -- old school or analytic -- scream "not elite."

Carlisle said Rondo won't be at the American Airlines Center tonight because "he's seeking additional medical opinions" and added that Rondo should not have played beyond the first minute of the game Tuesday.

Now the coach is casting the player as hero as he exits, but it's a look that does not fit comfortably. Nor does there seem to be a real belief that Rondo is out due to injury.

More realistic?

Rondo is out because Mavs fans would have booed him soundly tonight. The sudden announcement of a back injury hardly excuses Rondo for taking an eight-second count in the backcourt at the Toyota Center. He was healthy enough to run up and down the court after the mindless play, even if his minutes were limited after halftime.

Injury news rarely arrives with a disclaimer attached, but this one did.

"I understand the announcement that's being made is going to have interpretations," Carlisle said. "I'm giving you our interpretation. And it's fact."

Shortly after his soon to be famous answer to his expectation of Rondo returning, Carlisle shut it down.

"I'm done with Rondo questions. At this point we've got to turn our attention to Game 3," he said.

He's through, but others are not. Questions about Rondo will be asked by any number of teams hoping to solve point guard problems this summer. The Mavericks just won't be one of them.

Sports on 04/24/2015

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