In an astonishing twist, Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge has decided to put off thumb surgery and will suit up for the team’s game against the Washington Wizards Saturday night.
Portland had originally announced on Thursday night that the power forward was expected to miss six-to-eight weeks after tearing the radial collateral ligament in his left thumb. At that time, Aldridge indicated that he had suffered sprains in the past, but that this was on “a different level.”
Outside of Aldridge obviously displaying toughness here, this is huge for a Blazers team that owns a 31-13 record and holds a huge 8.5 game lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Northwest Division. It’s likely that Aldridge made this decision based on wanting to keep Portland within breathing distance of the best team in the NBA, the Golden State Warriors, who boast a 35-6 record and are 5.5 up on the Blazers in the Western Conference.
It’s also a big sign of commitment from the forward. Aldridge is set to become a free agent this summer and risks further injury by playing.
In the midst of another outstanding campaign, Aldridge is averaging 23.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. He’s going to play a huge role in what will be a season-long attempt to catch Golden State for the conference’s best record and home-court advantage in the playoffs.
Photo: USA Today