The Trail Blazers continued to deal with a number of injury absences as the second half of their season got underway on Thursday night. As Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian writes, Jusuf Nurkic (calf), Justise Winslow (ankle), and Anfernee Simons (ankle) are still on the shelf for Portland.
Nurkic hasn’t returned to practice yet, though Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups said the veteran center is “getting better.” Winslow, meanwhile, has begun taking part in non-contact drills, while Simons is doing weight-bearing activities but no on-court work.
The Trail Blazers opted to give Damian Lillard and Jerami Grant the night off on Thursday following a series of weather-related travel days that saw Portland players spend several hours on the team plane on both Wednesday and Thursday. The club’s resulting starting lineup in Sacramento was an odd one that featured three trade-deadline additions (Cam Reddish, Matisse Thybulle, and Ryan Arcidiacono) along with two reserves (Drew Eubanks and Nassir Little).
While the Blazers lost in Sacramento, Billups liked what he saw from Little, whose 26 points were easily a season high (story via Fentress). Reddish also continued his solid play following the trade that sent him from New York to Portland, scoring 24 points of his own.
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
- The Timberwolves came close to acquiring Bones Hyland from the Nuggets at this month’s trade deadline, Darren Wolfson of SKOR North said in his podcast The Scoop (hat tip to HoopsHype). According to Wolfson, Minnesota “would have done what the Clippers did” (given up two second-round picks) or even more than that. However, Wolfson believes Denver’s ownership group was reluctant to do any favors for former Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly, who now runs Minnesota’s front office.
- Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports spoke to Ish Smith, who previously played with Reggie Jackson in Oklahoma City and Detroit, about what the Nuggets‘ newest point guard can bring to the team. Jackson played 18 minutes in his Denver debut on Thursday, scoring seven points to go along with four rebounds and a pair of assists.
- Jazz guard Collin Sexton, who strained his left hamstring in the team’s final game before the All-Star break, remains sidelined as a result of that injury. The expectation it that Sexton will be reevaluated on Monday, says Sarah Todd of The Deseret News.
WHY would they give Lilliard and Grant a game off when they already had a break?! Do they want to make postseason or not?? Are they going to tank again?!!!! Gimme a break. Lilliard should have insisted on playing no matter what.
Here is why, from the article: “following a series of weather-related travel days that saw Portland players spend several hours on the team plane on both Wednesday and Thursday.”
But aren’t these team planes really nice and easy to travel in? I mean yeah it’s inconvenient, but does that mean that Dame couldn’t play? And if Dame couldn’t play because of those conditions, why didn’t the rest of the team get time off?
I don’t know…why you are asking me? I was just providing the answer to the posters question, which was very clearly in the article.
My two cents, let the veterans take the night off in a probable loss anyway. Nurkic and simons were out. You just got 2 new young guys, let them get the minutes with the rotation players and build some chemistry for the second unit. Just a guess, but I’m not privy to their thought process.
As to travel, I don’t care how nice it is. Spending several hours on consecutive days traveling SUCKS. I’ve flown first class and been in limos, supposed nice travel accommodations, i wouldn’t want to spend hours in either on consecutive days.
Does Lilliard and Blazers want to create winning environment for real, or just pretend?? This is so rediculous… even if they are not contenders this year, they need to get experience playing in postseason. That’s how you take babysteps to being a contender. Big thumbs down for Lilliard! WTF cares about all star game and 3 point contest especially if you need extra rest from it???!
The trade deadline didn’t illuminate the direction the Blazers are choosing for the second half of the season?
Those are all try-outs the Blazers traded for, how could they not have intended to tank after trades for picks & try-outs? I’m sure they would be thrilled if miracles happen, or some other team tanks harder
I understand the idea and all, but aren’t teams more accurately kicking off the fourth quarter of their seasons now?
Waive Ryan and sign Brandon Williams who was on the team last season