Rajon Rondo out for Game 5 vs. Celtics with Thumb Injury

Chicago Bulls guard Rajon Rondo said he would miss the team's Game 5 matchup against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night after an X-ray showed no change in his fractured right thumb, according to Jay King of MassLive.com. 

"The slightest fall on the floor might further damage it," Rondo said, per King, with the point guard adding: "I think I'm Wolverine, but it hasn't actually healed."

He didn't rule out a return in Friday's Game 6, however, per Sean Highkin of The Athletic.

Head coach Fred Hoiberg confirmed that the X-ray revealed Rondo still has a break in his right thumb and still has significant swelling, per A. Sherrod Blakely of Comcast SportsNet. The coach also acknowledged that it's a "long shot" that Rondo will be able to play again in the Boston series, according to Nick Friedell of ESPN.

Rondo "switched from a cast to a soft splint and did manage to participate in most of Tuesday's practice while protecting the injured hand," per Marc Stein and Marc Spears of ESPN. Per that report, he was expected to be in a hard cast for seven to 10 days after suffering the injury in Game 2, but returned to practice Monday after the Celtics won Games 3 and 4 and evened the playoff series.

If he's unable to return at all, it would be a major blow for the Bulls, who have struggled with Jerian Grant and Michael Carter-Williams at point guard to the point that Hoiberg intends to start Isaiah Canaan at the position in Game 5, according to ESPN, which would be Canaan's first start of the season.

Rondo had been superb in two playoff games, meanwhile, averaging 11.5 points, 10.0 assists, 8.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals.

"He's our floor general out there," Butler said of Rondo, per ESPN. "He knows everything. He knows every matchup, every position, and he's still helping from the bench. We really want him helping out there from the floor."‎

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