We hate to go there. But we have to go there.
As if it wasn’t bad enough for Portland to lose by 15 points to the Washington Wizards on their own home floor, the Blazers were left to pick up the pieces after their All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge crumpled to the floor clutching his left ankle.
The result: a left ankle sprain. X-rays came back negative but Aldridge did not travel with the team for Wednesday night’s game in Oakland against the Golden State Warriors on the end of a back-to-back.
And as we sit and wait the word on Aldridge’s return to the Blazers, inquiring about his availability for the NBA All-Star game in Orlando on Feb. 26 comes with the territory. Inquiring minds want to know.
Flashback to Tuesday night. The injury took place in the first quarter after Washington’s Trevor Booker apparently undercut Aldridge as he went up for a jumper. The Blazers dropped the game 124-109 in a frustrating loss, but what stings even more is losing their leading scorer and rebounder with Aldridge averaging 23.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.
The Blazers have yet to say how long Aldridge will be out but depending on the severity of the ankle sprain (the same ankle he jacked up in October, 2009) could jeopardize Aldridge appearing in his first All-Star. He is also logging the most minutes for Portland (36.2 minutes per game, which is actually down from last season’s 39.6 mpg) and is certainly due for a long breather. But that’s a debate that will linger as the All-Star break grows near. Knowing Portland needs a healthy and rested Aldridge for their postseason push, does he pass on All-Star for the better of the Blazers second half of the season?
Nothing screams “R & R” like hopping a cross-country flight all the way to Orlando, spending every waking hour going from one media circus to the next, VIP club status, and then trying to mix in practice before actually playing on All-Star Sunday. Even for a healthy player it’s a whirlwind event. Forget this being Aldridge’s first rodeo.
Yet after all the work Aldridge has put in to get to this point — not to mention being overlooked last season as he posted a career best 21.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game — passing up being a reserve for the Western Conference won’t be an easy decision. But it’s still something he’ll have to consider, like it or not.
Brandon Roy has been there, done that. The former Blazers guard made the tough call to sit out the 2010 NBA All-Star Game in Dallas with a right hamstring strain. The majority of fan reaction sided with Roy’s decision, applauding him for resting instead of risking further injury.
What about LA? Aldridge can only pray the decision process comes easy over the next 11 days.
In the meantime, Portland better pray they can figure out a way to fight to win games particularly if Aldridge is going to be on the mend for any long period of time.
Blazers head coach Nate McMillan said after the loss to Washington, that he may go with the starting line-up of Ray Felton, Wesley Matthews, Nicolas Batum, Gerald Wallace and Marcus Camby against the Warriors, who have won three-straight games and who have had Portland’s number at Oracle Arena. Even with Aldridge available, the Blazers have hit the skids. They’ve lost four of their last five games and five of their last six on the road. After the quick trip to Golden State, Portland returns to the Rose Garden to face the Los Angeles Clippers and Atlanta Hawks, before traveling to Staples Center to take on the Lakers. They head into the All-Star break playing the San Antonio Spurs back in Portland.
The last game before the break — ah, the famed get-away game where players are already checked out even before they reach the arena and are anxious for a break or to live it up at All-Star weekend.
It’s a mystery what Aldridge’s plans will be.
