BOSTON - Boston point guard Rajon Rondo signed a five-year extension with the Celtics on Nov. 2 for $55 million.

When the Celtics gave Rondo his massive contract, part of the deal was for him to become more of a leader for the team. Part of that leadership role is dealing with the media.

But Rondo clearly hates that part of his job. Rondo reluctantly gave a rare pregame interview with reporters before Friday's night's contest versus Indiana, and the answers he gave were rarely longer than a sentence.

Here is a brief glimpse of what goes on inside the head of the reserved Rajon Rondo.

Because the Celtics entered last night's game with a losing record since Christmas (16-17) and fell from the second to the fourth seed behind Orlando, a team that beat the C's, 3-1, in the season series, and Atlanta, who swept Boston this year, Rondo was asked if he was concerned about Boston's current seeding position.
"I don't really care," Rondo said.

Why not Rondo?

"That's just my mentality. Other people might feel different, but I don't really care as long as we're playing good going into the playoffs."

How do you feel about how the team has played lately, Rondo was then asked.

"Not good," he responded.

What's been the main problem Rondo?

"I don't know. I don't have the answer," he said.

How confident are you that you guys are going to turn the season around?

"I'm confident."

Are you bewildered by how this team is playing Rondo?

"No. Winning a championship isn't going to be easy," he said.

You won 62 regular season games last year. Was last year easier?

"That doesn't mean anything," Rondo said. "We didn't win anything so that is a wash of a season."

Does that mean unless you win the title, it's a disappointing season?

"Yeah."

That's pretty high standards. There is only one team that can be satisfied by your definition of a successful season.

"Right."

So you wouldn't be satisfied unless you won the title this year?

"Right."

How do your teammates feel about the team's recent slump?

"I don't try to read them. I just play with them."

How close are you guys to turning the corner?

"It's just a matter of time but if we don't, we don't," Rondo said. "It's as simple as that. We either get it done or we don't."

Rondo summed up his attitude as this: "At the end of the day, if you only win 40 games and you win the championship, nobody would look back and think about how much struggles we had."