What LaMarcus Aldridge Delaying Surgery Means for the Portland Trail Blazers
LaMarcus Aldridge made a bold decision when he chose to delay surgery on a torn ligament in his thumb, and now the attention turns to whether the Portland Trail Blazers can contend for an NBA title this season.
Aldridge has been a key to the success of the Blazers, who are 32-13 and third in the tough Western Conference, but in order for that to continue, they’ll need him to be able to successfully play through the injury.
While the Trail Blazers have the third-best record in the West, as well as the fourth-best record in the NBA, one thing that may be getting overlooked is that Portland has played the fifth-easiest schedule in the conference, according to ESPN.
The real test is on the horizon, though, as Portland draws three of the top six teams in the Eastern Conference including the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Atlanta Hawks and the Milwaukee Bucks all on the road in consecutive games. They will then follow that up with 12 straight against Western Conference foes, including eight potential playoff teams.
The stretch of the next 15 games or so will likely decide the fate of the Trail Blazers' season, which will either position them as a top team in the West, or a team fighting for a playoff spot in the brutal conference.
It was originally reported that Aldridge was going to miss six to eight weeks if he had the surgery, but according to a quote from the All-Star power forward, which was reported by Sam Amick of USA Today, his plan is to play out the season. However, it’s important to note that this quote came after he scored 26 points against the Washington Wizards in his first game playing with the torn ligament.
"My idea now is to play the rest of the season," he said. "But if it gets too much where I can't handle it or I'm not playing at a very good level then I'll stop. But hopefully it goes well for us."
Aldridge not only leads the Blazers in points, averaging 23.3 per game, but also averages a team-high 10.2 rebounds per game as well. While Damian Lillard would be without his partner in crime, the question that many are curious about, is who would fill the void if Aldridge had to miss any extended time.
The answer? It would likely be third-year power forward Thomas Robinson, who averages just 3.8 points per game and 4.3 rebounds in 12.3 minutes per game. While Robinson has shown promise throughout his three-year career, he would have massive shoes to fill in the Blazers starting lineup.
Lillard would obviously have to shoulder quite the load during any time that Aldridge misses, while role players such as Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews would be asked to take on larger roles in the offense.
Considering the risk that comes along with Aldridge’s decision, a few writers, including Dan Schultz of Rant Sports have called it a questionable decision.
It may be questionable, but based on the upcoming schedule and the fact that a losing streak could send the Trail Blazers tumbling down the Western Conference standings, the potential reward likely outweighs the risk for Aldridge.
Simply put, the decision to delay surgery allows the Blazers to remain one of the most dangerous teams in the West, and Aldridge being forced to miss any time would leave the team with major question marks.
