"He played nearly 3,000 minutes during the regular season and nearly 750 in the playoffs, with back tightness and muscle spasms cropping up as the postseason wears on. Last night, Rajon Rondo admitted he was due for a couple minutes' rest.

"I needed it,'' he said.

But in his absence, the Celtics needed a reinforcement. Enter Nate Robinson. He was two games removed from a breakout performance in the Celtics' Eastern Conference finals clincher against Orlando, and with Rondo on the bench last night against the Lakers, Robinson gave another boost in the Celtics' series-tying 103-94 win in Game 2."