Rajon Rondo Injury: Why Marcus Smart Must Step Up for Boston Celtics in 2014

Rajon Rondo has only played in 68 games combined the past two seasons, and he just announced that he had surgery to repair a broken hand that will keep him sidelined for six to eight weeks, according to The Boston Globe's Baxter Holmes. The Celtics have experience in getting by without Rondo but will be losing their best passer and floor general. In the wake of this injury, rookie point guard Marcus Smart will be called upon to fill the void.

Rondo claimed that he broke the hand after slipping in the shower last Thursday night, though he was spotted at a trampoline park twice during the week. Speculation has run rampant over that bit of information, but Rondo remained adamant during the Celtics' media day saying: "That night, I went home and that's when the incident happened. It didn't happen at all at the trampoline place."

Whatever the cause of Rondo's broken hand, he will be out for up to eight weeks, and the Celtics will be without their leading guard for yet another segment of a season. Since joining the Celtics out of Kentucky in 2006, Rondo has accounted for 30 percent of all assists by the Celtics. Even while only playing 70 games or more four times in that period, Rondo has been the best passer and the initiator of the offense.

Taken sixth overall out of Oklahoma State, Smart is a very similar player to the one that Rondo was back in 2006. The 20-year-old has similar strengths: He is a creative and talented passer, a lengthy and committed defender on the perimeter and a slasher who loves to slice into the paint with the ball. He averaged 16.6 points, 4.5 assists and 5.9 rebounds per game during his two years at Oklahoma State.

But Smart also has the same shortcomings: inconsistent perimeter shooting, a tendency to take bad shots and a propensity to turn the ball over trying to make the big play. Smart only shot 30 percent from three during two years in college. He has a worse handle than Rondo but benefits from a sturdier body that can handle more contact.

The Celtics will need Smart to step in and contribute as a rookie with Avery Bradley playing shooting guard, as the only other healthy guards are Phil Pressey, who didn't particularly impress last season, and John Lucas III. Smart will benefit from having players like Bradley and Jeff Green on the wing, as well as post players like Jared Sullinger, Brandon Bass and Tyler Zeller.

Look for Smart to step in and put up similar numbers to rookie Rondo—6.4 points, 3.8 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals. This is not out of the question for a player with the talents Smart possesses. In fact, he may put up better numbers than that for the month or so he will play in Rondo's stead, then play a valuable bench role for the Celtics as Rondo once did for Sebastian Telfair once Rondo returns.

The Celtics are surely not happy about losing their star guard yet again, but they prepared for this situation by drafting Smart this past draft. Smart has many of the same strengths as Rondo and will look to provide some of the floor-general characteristics the Celtics have missed in his absence. For the Celtics to be anything beyond a decent non-playoff team, they will need to see a significant contribution by their rookie guard.

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