LaMarcus Aldridge Injury: Updates on Trail Blazers Star's Hand and Return
LaMarcus Aldridge suffered a hand injury against the Memphis Grizzlies March 21 and did not return. After missing one game, he would return against the Utah Jazz.
Continue for updates.
Aldridge Active vs. Jazz
Wednesday, March 25
Mike Richman of The Oregonian confirmed Aldridge will be active for Portland's game versus the Utah Jazz Wednesday night.
Aldridge Misses One Game with Hand Injury
Tuesday, March 24
Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Aldridge, along with Nicolas Batum and Chris Kaman, will not play Tuesday against the Golden State Warriors.
On March 23, Joe Freeman of The Oregonian provided a statement from the Blazers star. Aldridge said he won't rush to return from his latest setback, stating, "When it rains it pours. I'm already having a thumb issue, so ... I'm not going to rush it. I'm going to try to let it heal up."
On March 21, Freeman first reported that Aldridge, along with Batum, suffered an injury and would not return against the Memphis Grizzlies. At the time, Eric Gunderson of The Columbian reported that X-rays were negative.
Michael Wallace of ESPN had Aldridge's thoughts on the injury. The player said, "I already had my thumb messed up, so not being able to use my hand was just too much."
This isn't the first injury scare for Aldridge and the Blazers. In January, he tore a ligament in his left thumb, and it was believed he'd miss six to eight weeks. Losing the 29-year-old for that long probably wouldn't have meant Portland falling out of a playoff position altogether, but it would have seriously damaged its seeding.
Instead, Aldridge opted to delay thumb surgery, which allowed him to make a speedy return.
"I'll just play until it's intolerable. Tonight, I thought it was tolerable," he said on Jan. 25, per Sam Amick of USA Today. "It was hurting a little but it wasn't too much. I'll just keep going until I feel like I'm not playing as good as I can, or I can't take it."
The Blazers will go as far in the playoffs as Aldridge and Damian Lillard can take them. Aldridge took his game to another level in the postseason last year, averaging 26.2 points and 10.6 rebounds in Portland's 11 playoff games.
This year's title race is wide open. The Trail Blazers won't be among the top favorites, but after trading for Arron Afflalo, they have the pieces to go all the way as long as Aldridge repeats last year's performance.
