After a crazy week with four crazy matches and two victories for the Portland Trail BlazersLet’s address some questions for the mailbag.
Our commentator CaptainMan asked the question that was on everyone’s mind when looking at the Blazers’ recent injury reports:
Are these injuries real or are they just tanking and trying to get as many guaranteed losses as possible?
This question was not only inevitable, but it is deserved. The Trail Blazers have lost the benefit of the doubt, spending two straight seasons crossing names off the roster in the spring like they were their eyes during Pacific Northwest allergy season. And it worked. By sending out some of the worst rosters in the NBA, they found a way to end up with the 7th pick and 3rd pick in back-to-back drafts. It doesn’t seem unreasonable to assume the same thing again.
It’s no secret that the NBA injury list is much more complicated than just asking doctors what they think. This is a sometimes delicate negotiation between several parties, including the coach, medical staff and the player. Every NBA fan knows that an injured player is much more likely to (be asked to) play in pain for a 45-15 team than for a 15-45 team. In recent history, LaMarcus Aldridge got away from the injured list despite dealing with a thumb injury to boost the Blazers’ ill-fated 2014-15 campaign.
Recently, Scoot Henderson, Jerami Grant, Deandre Ayton, Matisse Thybulle and Malcolm Brogdon joined the players in street clothes. Each of them changes the game in their own way, so losing them all would seem to raise natural suspicion. But the answer is almost surely rather banal.
Grant, who left in the middle of a game against Memphis, already returned Wednesday against OKC. Thybulle was also active. Is it possible that none of these players would have missed a game if their team was in contention for a playoff spot? Of course. But in Portland’s current position, they may miss a few days.
Ayton’s injury was the most visible, suffering a sprained right hand in a somewhat ugly collision with Miami Heat forward Kevin Love. The team clearly misses Ayton’s presence, even though his first season in PDX was mixed. The team misses Brogdon as much as Ayton, but his injury was mostly invisible. Considering Portland wants to showcase Brogdon’s healthy presence on the field, combined with his recent PRP treatment, it’s unfortunately clear he’s being sidelined for real concern.
Henderson’s situation is admittedly strange, appearing on the roster after his All-Star appearance. The Blazers have provided little information, a level of ambiguity that will leave fans uneasy. But in a season where Henderson’s nightly performances have been highly variable, Portland could use a little more clarity in assessing his growth on the court. There is no scenario where it would make sense for the team to sit him while he is healthy. Combined with the Blazers’ recent statement that they hope to be able to return Saturday night, it’s safe to assume that Scoot really needed some time, even if the details aren’t clear.
Bottom line: These injuries appear legitimate and healing appears to be occurring within a reasonable amount of time based on the (sometimes minimal) information available. I don’t know if this is good or bad news, but it’s nice to look at an injury list without suspicion. Plus, they seem to be playing better as the injury list grows. So even if it was a tactic… it doesn’t work this time.
In our Fanposts, our community member “What now?” entertained us with the following question:
Who was your [NBA Draft] A lock that would have taken you out of the league?
Challenge accepted.
But first, let’s talk about Blazers legend Brandon Roy.
I would happily regale any fan with the legend of how Timmay knew Brandon Roy should be a Blazer. I was convinced he had all the tools to become an All-NBA player. He was from the Pacific Northwest and was a can’t-miss prospect. I was discouraged when he was taken with the sixth pick, then elated shortly after when news broke that he was being traded to the Blazers.
Again I would be treat people to this treat. But I don’t do it. Because if I did, I would just use it to hide from the multitude of times I had no idea which prospect would be successful.
Trae Young? The little kid who kind of looks like the annoying friend in a mediocre early 90s sitcom? He should shoot very well. He’ll probably catch fire in Atlanta.
Chet Holmgren? The guy who looks like a strong breeze could knock him down, got injured before his very first match? He’s big, but so is Hasheem Thabeet. Good luck with that pick, OKC.
Jahlil Okafor? He doesn’t look like a star, but he seems good enough to stay in the league for a decent career. But this guy attacked him? Kristaps Porziņģis? Oh man. Another failure for the Knicks. Note: I’m glad I haven’t formed an opinion on the next pick, Mario Hezonja.
Of course, I’ve also looked prescient from time to time. But after many years of falsely convincing myself that I know the perfect pick and which players are doomed to fail, I’ve tried to give up on having any vested interests on draft night. I prefer to leave it to the team and hopefully be entertained by the result. May the Blazers pick the best player they see on the board, and let’s hope it’s the right one. Although I can be quietly convinced that they picked the wrong player. I’ve been wrong before.
Which draft picks were you most wrong about? Comment below or in the original Fanpost.
