Portland Trail Blazers announced on Thursday that power forward LaMarcus Aldridge will miss six to eight weeks after tearing the radial collateral ligament in his left thumb.
Aldridge hurt his thumb in the second quarter of the Blazers’ 98-95 victory against the Sacramento Kings on Monday night. The injury occurred during an attempted steal when Aldridge swiped down on the ball as Kings forward DeMarcus Cousins was driving towards the basket. Aldridge’s thumb hit Cousins above the knee and the Blazers forward immediately left the game and did not return. X-rays following the game were negative, and an initial MRI was inconclusive because of swelling in the area between his forefinger and thumb. A second MRI today revealed the extent of the injury, prompting the team to make the announcement. Aldridge will have surgery in the coming days to repair the ligament, the Trail Blazers said.
Aldridge met with the media today to discuss his situation.
Aldridge leads the Blazers with averages of 23.5 points and 10.4 rebounds per game, and is shooting 46.2 percent on the season. In addition to currently averaging a career-high in points per game, the ninth-year veteran out of Texas has also added a three-point shot to his arsenal this season, making 51.2 percent from behind the arc on a little over one attempt per game.
Alongside Damian Lillard, Aldridge has been key in Portland’s impressive 31-11 start. The Trailblazers lead the Northwest division and have the second best record in the crowded Western Conference.
Portland’s front line is already depleted, and will be tested even more than before, as centers Robin Lopez and Joel Freeland have been out of action for extended periods of time with injuries.
With Aldridge out for the next two months, Lillard will be looked to even more for scoring. The third-year point guard is averaging a career-high in scoring as well, currently averaging 22.1 points, 6.2 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game on top of a career-high 44.3 field goal percentage. Thomas Robinson and Victor Claver will have to fill the power forward spot for now, although Portland GM Neil Olshey did tell the NBA’s SiriusXM radio station on Thursday that he is hopeful in Lopez returning from his hand injury before the All-Star break.
[related_post_one]
Blazers forward Nicolas Batum provided some hope for Portland fans on Wednesday in the team’s first game since Aldridge’s injury, scoring 27 points on 9-of-15 shooting. Batum hit 6-of-8 from three-point-range to go along with 10 rebounds, five assists and one block in 39 minutes during a 118-113 loss on the road to the Suns. Batum is still yet to return to his previous form displayed in previous seasons as he recovers from wrist and knee injuries, and is currently averaging just 8.9 points while shooting 38.5 percent overall and 25.8 percent from three-point range.
Portland ends January’s schedule with six of their seven games against the Eastern Conference, with five of the six against Eastern teams currently in playoff position.
Aldridge’s absence will have an effect on the upcoming All-Star game as well. While he wasn’t named a starter, it was widely assumed that he would be named a reserve by Golden State Warriors and Western Conference All-Star coach Steve Kerr.
Now that Kobe Bryant is expected to miss the game as well, the opportunity will be open for players such as Klay Thompson to be considered. Veterans Dirk Nowitzki and Tim Duncan could be likely candidates for Aldridge’s replacement, along with DeMarcus Cousins, which would be ironic considering his role in the injury.
