PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Rajon Rondo is healthy and he's locked in.That's good news for the New Orleans Pelicans, not so much for the Portland Trail Blazers. When Rondo is locked in during the postseason, the 6-foot-1 guard who won an NBA title with the Boston Celtics has shown he can be a tough out.Over the course of his career, Rondo has averaged 10.5 points, 8.5 assists and 4.8 rebounds. Comparatively in the playoffs, he has averaged 14.3 points, 9.2 assists and six rebounds per game.Not that he is buying into the Playoff Rondo hype, however."There's a lot of factors into that. I don't think you can break it down as simple as one or two things," Rondo said after practice Monday. "The interview would probably be too long for me to break it down completely. It's a matter of me being healthy, minutes, my teammates trusting me, my coaching staff trusting me."I think we, as a team, we're playing pretty good under pressure."They are indeed.Rondo dished out 17 assists in Game 1 of the series,... [More]

The Portland Trail Blazers fought their way through a pressure-packed playoff race to earn home-court advantage in a series, then lost it in one game.The Toronto Raptors know that problem all too well, so they want to take advantage of playing from ahead for a change.They try for their first 2-0 playoff series lead ever Tuesday night against Washington, while the Trail Blazers try to even things up in against the New Orleans Pelicans.Boston and Milwaukee play the other Game 2 on Tuesday after the Celtics pulled out a 113-107 overtime victory on Sunday.The No. 3 Trail Blazers were the highest-seeded team to lose so far, falling 97-95 on Saturday. Anthony Davis was dominant, Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum were slow-starting, and the Pelicans got a couple big defensive plays down the stretch from Jrue Holiday to hold on after the Blazers nearly came back from a 19-point deficit."I think it puts some pressure on us," Lillard said. "You know, you come in with home court, the first two games... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Portland Trail Blazers have scratched starting forward Maurice Harkless from Tuesday night's game against the New Orleans Pelicans.Blazers coach Terry Stotts says he learned a few hours before tip-off that Harkless' left knee soreness would sideline him for a game that could hold playoff implications for both teams.The Pelicans say guard Rajon Rondo is missing his second straight game with a sprained right wrist, while forward Nikola Mirotic is available to play after also missing last Saturday night's loss at Houston with a sore right hip flexor.Portland arrived in New Orleans in third place in the Western Conference, but just 2 ½ games ahead of the fifth-place Pelicans.___More NBA basketball: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Portland Trail Blazers have scratched starting forward Maurice Harkless from Tuesday night's game against the New Orleans Pelicans.Blazers coach Terry Stotts says he learned a few hours before tip-off that Harkless' left knee soreness would sideline him for a game that could hold playoff implications for both teams.The Pelicans say guard Rajon Rondo and forward Nikola Mirotic are both available to play after missing last Saturday night's loss at Houston. However, Rondo's right wrist sprain is keeping him out of his usual starting role, and it's unclear how much he'll play.Mirotic is back from a sore right hip flexor.Portland arrived in New Orleans in third place in the Western Conference, but just 2 ½ games ahead of the fifth-place Pelicans.___More NBA basketball: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — The New Orleans Pelicans held the first practice of their new, more challenging reality Saturday — less than 24 hours after losing All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins for the rest of the season because of his Achilles tear.The question now is: What happens to a team that has won seven of eight and was coalescing around its somewhat unconventional lineup featuring Cousins and fellow All-Star big man Anthony Davis?"It changes for everyone, but that doesn't mean we can't accomplish what we set out to do," coach Alvin Gentry said after practice. "And that's to be a playoff team."The Pelicans' offense has largely run through Cousins, who'll miss his first game this season Sunday afternoon, when New Orleans hosts the Los Angeles Clippers."We have to obviously realign some things and rethink some things that we've done and probably add a few things and take away a few things," Gentry said. "We have to adjust and figure out how we can best work with what we have now."Cousins,... [More]

G Rajon Rondo finished 12 assists in Saturday's loss to New York. He has 45 assists in his last three games.

PG Rajon Rondo had a career-high 25 assists on Wednesday against Brooklyn. "To get 25 is pretty incredible," said Anthony Davis, whose 33-point, 11-rebound and season-high, six-block night was stage left to Rondo's center-stage performance. Rondo was the catalyst for the Pelicans setting a franchise record of 40 assists on 48 made field goals. His 25 assists were one more than his previous career high of 24, set in 2010 when he played for the Boston Celtics. Rondo also is one of only four NBA players -- Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson and John Stockton are the others -- to have multiple games of at least 23 assists in a game. "We had (48) baskets with 40 assists, so that speaks for itself," Rondo said. "It wasn't just me. It was our team, a collective effort. The ball was hopping and we were making plays for each other."

PG Rajon Rondo recorded his 30th career triple-double (13 points, 12 rebounds, 12 assists).

PG Rajon Rondo returned to the starting lineup after a one-game rest. Rondo recorded 18 assists -- the most for any player in the NBA this season. Six of them came in the final 12 minutes. He added 13 points."That's amazing stuff he can do with the ball," said New Orleans' Anthony Davis, who scored 29 points. "He draws so much attention. He's able to pass the ball to players in wide-open situations. It's good to have him back on the floor."

PG Rajon Rondo was given the night off for rest. In Rondo's 11 games as a starter, SG Jrue Holiday averaged 20 points per game.

PG Rajon Rondo is averaging at least 11 points, 10 assists and six rebounds in December. "He's very good at finding open players," Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said. "He's very good at taking advantage of players' strengths. I think if you asked Jrue (Holiday) or anybody that plays with him, they'll tell you that he makes the game easier for them."

G Rajon Rondo had four points and eight assists in 14 minutes of Wednesday's 125-116 loss to Toronto. It was his first start of the season after missing the first 13 games rehabbing from sports hernia surgery. He sat out the second half as a precaution. "I thought he was fine," New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry said.

PG Rajon Rondo, playing just his fourth game after rehabbing from sports hernia surgery, logged a season-high 31 minutes and finished with four points, eight assists, two rebounds and a steal Monday. Most of those stats came in the final nine minutes after the Pelicans held just a 91-87 lead over the Thunder. New Orleans won 114-107.

PG Rajon Rondo, who missed the first 13 games while recovering from a core muscle injury, played five minutes against the Hawks. He scored on a baseline layup eight seconds into the game and finished with two points and two assists. New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry hopes Rondo's playmaking ability will help the Pelicans cut down on their average of 17.6 turnovers per game.

G Rajon Rondo (core muscle) is "probably at least a couple of weeks away," from returning, according to New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry.

G Rajon Rondo underwent surgery for a sports hernia on Tuesday and will miss four to six weeks, according to the team. The Pelicans said the operation was to repair a core muscle injury. Rondo was injured in the first quarter of Friday's preseason contest against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 31-year-old Rondo signed a one-year, $3.3 million deal with the Pelicans in the offseason. He averaged 7.8 points and 6.7 assists for the Chicago Bulls last season.

PG Rajon Rondo and the New Orleans Pelicans agreed on one-year deal, according to multiple reports. Rondo, a free agent, met with the Pelicans on Thursday and again Saturday in Atlanta before committing to a contract with New Orleans, league sources told The Vertical. The 31-year-old Rondo, a four-time NBA All-Star, met with Pelicans general manager Dell Demps and head coach Alvin Gentry. Rondo played for the Chicago Bulls last season and averaged 7.8 points, 6.7 assists and 5.1 rebounds in 69 games (42 starts).

Point guard Rajon Rondo and the New Orleans Pelicans met Thursday in Louisville to discuss a short-term contract.ESPN first reported the sitdown citing sources who labeled the meeting "excellent."Rondo played well in the playoffs with the Chicago Bulls before a thumb injury ended his one-year stay with the rebuilding franchise. A former teammate of Pelicans center DeMarcus Cousins in Sacramento, Rondo would likely serve as a backup to Jrue Holiday. Holiday re-signed with the Pelicans for $126 million over five years and said he would be willing to play away from the ball.New Orleans has no proven point guard on the roster behind Holiday.Rondo drew in

The New York Knicks have reached agreement with Sacramento Kings vice president of basketball operations Scott Perry to become the club's new general manager, CSN Chicago reported Thursday.The Knicks met with Perry on Thursday, as the team continues to rebuild its front office following the departure of Phil Jackson last month. If Perry is hired, he apparently would report to Knicks president Steve Mills.The Kings are seeking cash compensation in exchange for Perry's departure to New York, according to Sam Amick of USA Today. A number of people were rumored to be possible replacements for Jackson, including former Knicks coach and executive Isiah Thomas.Former Cleveland Cavaliers general manager David Griffin apparently was close to joining the Knicks front office, but the sides could not reach agreement on Griffin's exact role and whether he could bring his own staff with him.--Point guard Rajon Rondo and the New Orleans Pelicans met in Louisville to discuss a short-term contract.ESPN... [More]

G Rajon Rondo was waived on Friday, ending the point guard's stint with the team after one season. Rondo had a team option worth nearly $13.4 million that would have become fully guaranteed if Chicago hadn't waived him by Friday. He will instead receive $3 million by being released.