LaMarcus Aldridge Postpones Thumb Surgery, Returns to Trail Blazers Lineup

Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge was expected to miss a significant amount of time with a thumb injury, but the three-time All-Star has decided to play through it.

According to the Blazers' official Twitter account, the 29-year-old big man will postpone surgery and play against the Washington Wizards Saturday night:

Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski has more on the decision:

Aldridge has missed the past two games after suffering the torn thumb ligament against the Sacramento Kings Monday.

Per Mike Richman of The Oregonian, the initial expectation was that Aldridge would undergo surgery:

Had he opted to do so, he would have been out anywhere from six to eight weeks:

Aldridge is enjoying a monster season with per-game averages of over 23 points, 10 rebounds and one block. His play is a major reason why the Blazers are leading the Western Conference's Northwest Division at 31-13.

According to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports, Aldridge didn't want to go on the shelf with the team playing so well:

His future in Portland is in question with free agency looming, but Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports suggests that Aldridge's decision to keep playing says a lot about his feelings about the Blazers:

Though the Trail Blazers won't have to play without their top star, there are also concerns about Aldridge's decision to delay surgery.

It is unclear how much the injury will impact his play, so there is no doubt that team trainers and physicians will keep a close eye on Aldridge as he attempts to fight through the discomfort.

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