The Rajon Rondo trade has yet to bear the kind of fruit the Dallas Mavericks hoped for when they acquired him back in December, and things didn't appear to be improving on Tuesday night.
In the third quarter against the Toronto Raptors, Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle could clearly be seen on the sideline signaling for a timeout while Rondo casually dribbled up the floor.
Rondo either couldn't hear Carlisle or deliberately ignored him. Either way, Carlisle had to run onto the court to get the attention of a referee and call the timeout himself. Afterwards, he and Rondo had some not-so-friendly words on the bench, before the point guard was yanked from the game.
Rondo didn't return, ending his night with just 18 minutes played while Devin Harris and J.J. Barea closed things out at the point and led the Mavericks to a come-from-behind win.
At the time Rondo left the game, the Mavericks were stuck nine. Over the next quarter and change, they outscored the Raptors by 16.
Predictably, both Rondo and Carlisle were asked about the dust-up after the game.
"It’s an emotional game and we had a difference of opinion, so there was an exchange and then in my mind it was over." Carlisle said.
He would not clarify whether the argument had anything to do with the benching, and and implied that Rondo will continue to be the team's starting point guard.
"S--- happens," said Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. "Not the first time, not the last time. It'll happen again. It's not just Rajon. It's a long season. In my 15 years, I've seen it happen more times than I can count and we survive every time."
Rondo, for his part, wouldn't address the situation at all. "Discuss with Rick," he said, and left without talking to the media.
