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Rondo Says No Timetable On Return: 'Might Be Mid-January, Late February'

BOSTON (CBS) - Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo spoke to the media on Sunday ahead of Boston's 106-79 loss to the Pacers in Indiana, but wouldn't put a timetable on his return from an ACL injury.

Rondo returned to full-contact practice last week and got in a couple of 5-on-5 scrimmages on Friday, but said he's going to need a lot more practice to get into game-shape and won't return until he is 100 percent.

"I've had one practice and a pickup game, that's about it," Rondo told reporters. "My endurance is key for me. I don't want to come back and not be fully 100 percent as far as my health, and me being in shape as well, because the worst thing is me coming back and not being in shape and have another injury, so I want to make sure I'm in basketball condition."

"It might be mid-January, late February," he said when further pressed. "I'm going to come back when the time is right and I get my stamina."

"I'm just listening to my body," he added. "If my body told me I was 100 percent, I'd be playing now. I'm not."

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Rondo said he was winded by the second scrimmage on Friday, but it was a good step towards getting on the same page as some of his new teammates.

Rondo underwent ACL surgery last February and has been working his way back since. The Celtics are currently 12-17 on the season without Rondo, one game behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division.

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