J-Speaks: Trail Blazers' Savior Shelved

Back in the middle of February, the Portland Trail Blazers were in major need of a spark as they were in a major league whole sitting 11 games under .500 and far out of reach of making the playoffs. The organization, led by President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey took a risk and traded fan favorite in center Mason Plumlee and a 2018 second-round pick and cash considerations to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for center Jusuf Nurkic and the rights to the 2017 first-round pick, which rights are owned by the Memphis Grizzlies. That trade along with the play of the backcourt of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum vaulted the Trail Blazers to the No. 8 and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Unfortunately, the player who has averaged a double-double since arriving in the Pacific Northwest is down.

Nurkic, who has averaged 15.2 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks on 50.8 percent from the field in his 20 games with the Trail Blazers will be sidelined for at least the final two weeks of the regular season after as the team announced on Friday that he has a non-displaced fibular fracture in his right leg.

Nurkic’s injury was confirmed by an MRI, Olshey said, but it was unclear when the injury took place.

Nurkic said that he is grateful was not anything more serious and that he will follow the instruction of the team doctors so that he can return in time for the postseason.

“It’s part of the life, part of the job. I’m not going to be negative,” he said before the Trail Blazers home tilt with the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night.

In the Trail Blazers (38-38) last game on Thursday night at home on TNT, Nurkic had his ninth double-double with the team and 13^th on the season overall with 19 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks in the 117-107 win versus the Houston Rockets (51-25), their sixth straight win and improved their record to 14-6 since acquiring the center from Bosnia.

“He brings a different dynamic with his ability to post up. Back to the basket,” McCollum said to NBATV’s Kristen Ledlow, Rex Chapman and Vinny Del Negro back in March.

The loss of Nurkic leaves a big hole in the Trail Blazers front court, especially with the loss of Ed Davis and Festus Ezeli who both had season-ending surgeries respectably, which leaves head coach Terry Stotts with Meyers Leonard and starting power forward Noah Vonleh as options in the pivot.

What can give the Trail Blazers some calm about losing Nurkic is that they have a 2.5 game lead on the Nuggets for that No. 8 and final playoff spot in the West. They also won the season series against the Nuggets 3-1, thanks to a 122-113 win on Tuesday night at the Moda Center.

McCollum led the way with 39 points on 15 for 24 shooting. Nurkic against his former team had career-high of 33 points on 12 for 15 shooting, to go along with 15 boards, three blocks and 9 for 11 from the foul line.

“They know definitely what they’re missing,” Nurkic said after the game on Tuesday night. “But they’re happy for me that I find my spot, and I’m happy for me, too. I wish those guys a happy summer.”  

In the team’s first game without Nurkic, the Trail Blazers defeated the Suns (22-55) 130-117 on Saturday night.

Lillard led the way with 31 points, seven assists and five boards, going 7 for 16 from the field, which included 4 for 11 from three-point range and 13 for 13 from the charity stripe. McCollum had 29 points on 10 for 19 shooting, including 5 for 6 from distance with seven assists and five rebounds.

Leonard, who started at center had just seven points and four rebounds, but Vonleh had his second double-double of the season with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

The Trail Blazers also got contributions from Maurice Harkless, who had 13 points. Al-Farouq Aminu had 12 points and six boards off the bench and Evan Turner had 18 points off the pine as well.

The Trail Blazers have been through a lot this season. At one point in February, they were 11 games under .500 at 24-35. They got off the pavement and got over the West playoff line thanks to addition of Nurkic. The goal now is to secure that last playoff spot and thanks to their previously mentioned victory versus the Sun on Saturday night, that magic number is down to four. Any combination of Trail Blazer wins or Nuggets losses will secure that last postseason position for the guys from the Pacific Northwest.

The Trail Blazers from the players to the coaching staff though that they will all have to do more to collectively to secure that last playoff spot.

“The goal is still to make the playoffs and everybody will have to do more,” coach Stotts said after the win on Saturday night.

Information, statistics, and quotations are courtesy of 2/13/17 www.nba.com/blazers report, “Trail Blazers Acquire Jusuf Nurkic, 2017 First Round Pick From Denver;” 3/18/17 2 a.m. edition of NBATV’s “Gametime,” presented by Kia with Matt Winer, Lionel Hollins, Mike Dunleavy, Sr., Kristen Ledlow, Rex Chapman and Vinny Del Negro; 3/31/17 www.espn.com news services article, “Blazers’ Jusuf Nurkic To Miss At Least 2 Weeks With Fractured Fibula;” www.nba.com/games/20170401/PHXPOR#/recap/boxscore; www.espn.com/nba/team/_/name/por/portland-trail-blazers; www.espn.com/nba/player/stats/_/id/3102530/jusuf-nurkic; www.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/3102530/jusuf-nurkic; www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameid=400900504 and www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/id/400900504.