BOSTON — Celtics star Rajon Rondo has torn his anterior cruciate ligament and will miss the rest of the season.
The team made the announcement during yesterday’s 100-98 double-overtime win over the Heat. The victory in the nationally televised game snapped a losing streak that had reached six games despite back-to-back triple-doubles by the point guard who had been elected to start for the East in the Feb. 17 All-Star game in Houston.
“We’ve just got to rally around each other,” Paul Pierce said after the game. “I feel for him. He was having such a good season. It’s disappointing news.”
As Celtics players walked off the court through a tunnel toward their locker room, Rondo, dressed in street clothes, greeted them.
Rondo injured his right knee in Friday night’s double-overtime loss in Atlanta, a game in which the Celtics blew a 27-point lead. He reported to the TD Garden yesterday for a pregame shootaround but was taken to a hospital after complaining of knee pain.
The initial report was a hyperextended knee but tests showed the ACL tear, an injury that usually takes up to a year for recovery. Surgery had not been scheduled as of yesterday afternoon, said team spokesman Brian Olive.
“It brought a dark cloud in this room when you heard the news,” Pierce said.
Rondo was averaging career highs of 13.7 points and 5.6 rebounds along with 11.1 assists this season.
But making the playoffs got harder as the Celtics try to hang on to the eighth and final postseason spot in the conference with a 2 1/2-game lead over the 76ers.
“Obviously, the Rondo news is pretty tough. I knew it before the game,” coach Doc Rivers said. “I just didn’t think it was any time to tell any of our guys.”
This game was the first in Boston for Ray Allen since he left the Celtics after five seasons and signed as a free agent with Miami. He scored 21 points.
Kevin Garnett had 24 points and 11 rebounds, and Pierce added 17 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists.
Rondo’s injury “puts this team and the rest of the guys in a position to be ready to step up,” Pierce said. Yesterday’s win “was a perfect example. We showed we are capable.”
LeBron James had 34 points for the Heat.
“As much as I’ve been a rival with Boston over the years, I never want to see anyone go down,” James said. “It’s terrible, not only for their team but for the league.”