Count on “Playoff Rondo” to make things happen for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Rajon Rondo almost stole the show from the Denver Nuggets as the Los Angeles Lakers nearly pulled off an epic comeback in Game 3 of the NBA Western Conference finals.

The Lakers trailed by as many as 20 points in the 4th quarter before going on a blistering 21-4 run to cut their deficit to a single possession, 98-101, with Rondo dishing out 2 assists and collecting 3 steals.

“He was a huge spark for us, especially when we were in the zone. He is our best sort of activity communicator in those situations,” said Lakers head coach Frank Vogel about Rondo.

“Very good with his hands, gambling and what not. He was a huge part of that run,” Vogel added.

But the Lakers fell short of their fightback as Jamal Murray keyed a crucial 8-0 run in the last two minutes to help the Nuggets win, 114-106, and cut their deficit in the best-of-seven series to 1-2.

“I do not think we ran out of gas. We just did not make the timely plays when we needed them,” said Rondo, who finished with 9 points, 8 assists, and 3 steals in 30 minutes.

“It is a miss-and-make league. We had a lot of open shots that we did not make tonight.”

Despite the loss, Rondo notched a personal milestone as he leapfrogged the late Lakers great Kobe Bryant in the all-time NBA playoffs assists list.

Rondo now ranks 9th with 1,042 assists ahead of Bryant, who issued 1,040 dimes during his iconic 20-season career with the Lakers. – Rappler.com