Rajon Rondo remains uncertain about his return timetable for the Boston Celtics this season, recently telling reporters an early new-year return is not realistic.

"My endurance is key for me," Rondo told ProBasketballTaqlk.com on Sunday, after his Celtics were routed by Eastern Conferenc eleading Indiana 106-79. "I don't want to come back and not be fully 100 percent as far as my health and me being in shape as well. The worst thing for me is to not be in shape and have another injury. I want to make sure I'm in basketball condition shape."

The 12-17 Celtics have now dropped three straight, but Rondo intimated he felt no additional pressure to try and come back sooner rather than later.

"It might be late February," he told ProBasketballTalk. "I'm going to come back when the time is right and when I get my stamina."

With Sunday's loss, coach Brad Stevens team now trial the Toronto Raptors by a game in the Atlantic Division and rank as the Eastern Conference's No. 8 seed.

Led by a young core of Avery Bradley, Jeff Green and Jared Sullinger, the Celtics play four of their next six games at home.