NBA News: LaMarcus Alrdridge Out Up To 2 Months Due To Thumb Injury

LaMarcus Aldridge of the Portland Trail Blazers will miss 6 to 8 weeks of action due to a radial collateral ligament tear in his left thumb. The star power forward, who injured the left thumb last Monday in a game against the Sacramento Kings, is expected to have surgery later this week.

The Blazers are currently at 31-13— fourth best in the entire league but they will need to continue their success with out Aldridge, who averages 23.2 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocked shots in the 2014-2015 NBA season. From the timeline given, the Blazers big man should return with about one and a half months to go before the end of the regular season and will be healthy in time for the 2015 NBA Playoffs.

Portland won over Sacramento, 98-94 and Aldridge finished with 10 points before exiting in the second quarter. The Blazers immediately felt the Aldridge’s absence in the next two games promptly losing to the Phoenix Suns, 118-113 on Wednesday and the Boston Celtics, 90-89 on Thursday. Back-up forwards Dorell Wright and Thomas Robinson replaced Aldridge in the starting line-up but both were largely ineffective in the games they started.

With the eight-year-pro missing multiple games-- estimated to be around 15 outings-- the challenge for the Blazers will be how they will be able to hold on to a top four slot in the tough Western Conference. They are currently third in the West, just half a game ahead of the Dallas Mavericks (30-13) and a game and a half ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets, both at 39-14 entering Friday’s games.

Before the NBA All-Star break in February, the Blazers will be meeting quality teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers (Jan. 28) and Atlanta Hawks (Jan. 30) and also has match-ups against West rivals Mavericks (Feb. 7) and Rockets (Feb. 8).

Aldridge is the team’s leading scorer and rebounder, for the Blazers to keep up with the tough West they need more offensive production from the likes of Damian Lillard, Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews. Defensively and in the rebounding department, back-ups like Chris Kaman, Thomas Robinson and Meyers Leonard will need to up their level of play as well. The good news for the Blazers is that Robin Lopez might be coming back soon to help out the Blazers in the paint.

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