Mavs' Carlisle on benching Rondo: 'It's called coach's decision'

Rajon Rondo found himself in an unfamiliar spot in Dallas's Friday night loss to the Chicago Bulls: on the bench in crunch time.

Devin Harris entered the game for Rondo with 5:11 remaining in the fourth quarter and the Mavericks down seven, and Rondo never returned to the court.

"It's called coach's decision, and that's how we're going to roll," head coach Rick Carlisle said after the game, as reported by ESPN's Tim McMahon.

"If you want to make it a blow-up story, be my guest," Carlisle said. "Go talk to him."

Rondo took the late-game benching in stride.

"Coach made a decision. It's as simple as that," the veteran said. "It's not like it's the end of the world. I like what Coach Carlisle has done for me this year. I don't have any regrets."

After Rondo helped spur a late run in Monday's victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, head coach Rick Carlisle said of the point guard, "You've just got to put him in there in crunch time and let him do what he does."

"Today's Friday. That was Monday. That's where it is," Carlisle said when reminded of Monday's comments.

Rondo has averaged 10.4 points, 7.1 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 16 games with the Mavs since being acquired from the Boston Celtics in December. His 3-point percentage, which has never been better than 31.3 percent in a season, has jumped to 38.5 percent in Dallas, but his free-throw percentage has tanked to an unfathomable 23.5.

Dallas has gone 11-5 with Rondo in the lineup.

The 28-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent come July.