Prediction time - I'm guessing we see a much better effort by the C's and win this game comfortably. Losing Rondo is the exact type of change that Hoiberg will have trouble adjusting to, let alone the players, and combining that with a better overall effort by the C's, I think we win this one going away.
And Bingo was his name-o!
I do think Rondo's absence will be overplayed in the media, though. We were due for this game after the last two stinkers, and they were due for a stinker after playing way over their heads the last two games.
It's part that, part Chicago regressing shooting wise, but also Rondo deserves credit for the first two games. He was great, from passing, to his defense, and the rebounding was big (and helped them on the break). I would have been interested to see how the C's adjusted but they simply had to play better and stronger and this was that no doubt.