Wizards at Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers are trying to regroup after the injury news regarding star forward LaMarcus Aldridge as they enter Saturday’s home game against the Washington Wizards. Portland has lost five of six games, the last two occurring without Aldridge, who will be sidelined six to eight weeks due to a torn ligament in his left thumb. Washington is beginning a four-game road trip through the West and has the second-best record in the Eastern Conference.
Sidekick Damian Lillard was highly dejected when he learned the severity of Aldridge’s injury. “That was the last thing I wanted to hear,” Lillard told reporters. “It’s not like we can stop our schedule until he gets healthy. We just gotta keep on moving forward and try to win games.” The Wizards are coming off Wednesday’s 105-103 overtime loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, only their third loss in the last 10 games.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, NBATV, CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington), CSN Northwest (Portland)
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (29-14): Veteran forward Paul Pierce wants to see a better performance on this trip to the West after Washington went 2-3 on a Western swing earlier this season. “We have to come off this West Coast trip better than we did the last one,” Pierce told reporters. “It’s that time of the season where we’ve got to start peaking and we’ve got to make a little run if we want to catch Atlanta (atop the East). Everybody understands the importance of this trip.” Nene had 24 points against the Thunder and has two 20-point outings over the last three games.
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (31-13): The loss of Aldridge only increases Portland’s troubles in the frontcourt as centers Robin Lopez (hand) and Joel Freeland (shoulder) remain sidelined. Forward Nicolas Batum (wrist) could be in jeopardy of missing Saturday’s contest after aggravating a wrist injury during Thursday’s 90-89 loss to the Boston Celtics. “We’ll see how it responds in the next few days,” Batum told reporters while wearing a brace. “We’ve got so many guys out, I don’t know if I’m going to miss a game or not.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The teams split last season’s two meetings.
2. Washington PG John Wall had 13 assists against Oklahoma City for his 24th double-digit outing of the season.
3. Portland SG Wesley Matthews is averaging 20.5 points with 15 3-point baskets over the past four games.