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Less than 48 hours ago, it seemed like a mere formality that Rajon Rondo would rejoin his teammates in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers. But back spasms created an obstacle for Rondo, one that he has still yet to overcome as the Lakers look to take a commanding 3-1 lead over the Blazers on Thursday night.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel told reporters prior to Monday night’s game that they would be without Rondo once again, as the veteran guard continues to deal with back spasms after coming back from surgery on a broken thumb, according to Tania Ganguli of the Los Angeles Times.
Rajon Rondo is out tonight due to his back spasms.
— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) August 24, 2020
The Lakers have done just fine without Rondo through the first three games of the series. They’ve limited Portland’s high-powered offense to a limited output and they’ve also gotten solid performances from their bench, with reserve players like Alex Caruso and Markieff Morris providing strong performances.
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