Portland Trail Blazers: LaMarcus Aldridge Returns to a Surging Blazers Team

As the Portland Trail Blazers showed the fast-paced work that that head coach Nate McMillan wanted all last season, the Blazers had something to look forward to, the return of their power forward LaMarcus Aldridge. 

After having successful surgery to stop a problem with his heart, he participated in his first full practice on Tuesday. This came just 11 days after having the operation. He is now expected to be a part of the starting five during the second exhibition game in Utah on Wednesday. 

Aldridge made his long-awaited return to the team's practice facility on Saturday, but did not participate until Tuesday, the first day he was cleared for full-contact practice.

However, the team only worked on half-court routines. Aldridge did stay after to work on his skill more to be as ready as possible for the game. 

As the Blazers head out to Utah, McMillan has said that he is happy and excited to see one of his team leaders back on the court doing what he loves and looks to have Aldridge leading the team during the second matchup with Utah Wednesday.

Having their leading scorer from the previous season back, it is going to add extra leadership on the floor that the team needed during the exhibition opener game against Utah on Monday. The Blazers won that game, 110-90. 

As McMillan looks to start Aldridge on Wednesday, he will have to do some shuffling of the starting five he had Monday.

I would imagine seeing Gerald Wallace going back to his main role of small forward, a position Nicholas Batum was filling. 

Of course there will be some rust as Aldridge has been working hard to get his game back.

But Blazer fans will get ready to see their star power forward play in front of their eyes at the season opener on Dec. 26th at the Rose Garden.

Rip City fans can only watch as Wednesday night’s tipoff comes and Aldridge sets foot back on a court, playing full-speed games, and gets back to his typical routine of leading his team to victories.