For the exhilaration the Los Angeles Lakers had from winning a second consecutive matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers, it came at the expense of Rajon Rondo as he suffered a broken hand in the fourth quarter.
Rondo’s injury wasn’t immediately clear as he continued to play before checking out due to a rotation decision, not because he appeared limited. Most of Rondo’s teammates were not aware of the issue when they entered the locker room.
Rondo underwent surgery the following day to repair the fractured the third metacarpal on his right hand. The Lakers set a timetable of four to five weeks for his return.