THE Portland Trailblazers will be forced to complete its bid for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference without Jusuf Nurkic, as the team announced Friday (Saturday, Manila time) their new center has a non-displaced fibular fracture in his right leg.
The fracture was discovered after an MRI, said team president of basketball operations Neil Olshey, and will keep Nurkic out for at least two weeks. When he got injured remains unclear but what’s certain is the Blazers will finish the regular season without their top big man.
Since moving to Portland in February, Nurkic has averaged 15.2 points and 10.4 rebounds to go with 3.2 assists and 1.9 blocks where the Blazers have gone 14-6. He last played in their win over the Houston Rockets, where he finished with 19 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.
With Nurkic at the post, Portland has won five straight and hold a two game lead over the Denver Nuggets for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.
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