LaMarcus Aldridge surely understands the value of process, but the result he wants can only be had if his team continues improving. And due to the three-time All-Star’s supreme importance to the Portland Trail Blazers, that won’t occur unless he’s on the floor. Just 24 hours after the team announced that Aldridge would miss six-to-eight weeks following surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb, the sweet shooting big man has decided to put the procedure on hold and play the rest of the season injured.
The Blazers’ official twitter account first broke the news:
BREAKING: LaMarcus Aldridge (ligament tear left thumb) puts surgery on hold; will play tonight versus Washington.
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) January 24, 2015
Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Marc Spears offered further clarity on this shocking development, including that the decision was Aldridge’s alone:
LaMarcus Aldridge tested thumb with splint and decided to play again, league source tells Yahoo. For now, surgery set aside. Surprising turn
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 24, 2015
Sources: Aldridge tested thumb on his own and reported to Portland trainer on Saturday morning he wanted to play. This was his decision.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 24, 2015
“We are having a good season and I want to keep it going. Going to try and play with it if I can and go from there,” @aldridge_12 told Yahoo
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) January 24, 2015
Assuming Aldridge’s play isn’t overly influenced by a thumb injury to his non-shooting hand, this is a major boon for the Blazers. Portland lost each of the games he missed after initially sustaining the tear, and is just 11-7 over the past two seasons when playing without Aldridge. Other than Damian Lillard, no player makes as big an impact on the Blazers – the team scores 8.4 points fewer per 100 possessions with LMA on the bench as opposed to the floor.
But considering Aldridge was set to return for rehabilitation in late March at worst, one wonders if this choice is short-sighted. Playing through any injury only adds to the chance that a player will exacerbate it or suffer another, putting his long-term health at further risk:
Doctor who did CP3 and Nick Young thumb injuries said surgery right call for Aldridge because chronic or multiple injuries harder to repair
— Jason Quick (@jwquick) January 24, 2015
Obviously, Aldridge and the Blazers feel like this is a gamble worth making. They’re among basketball’s best teams when whole, and Portland’s somewhat surprising dominance over the season’s first half has some thinking championship:
Wesley Matthews upon hearing LaMarcus Aldridge will return: "Warrior. Unselfish. Indicator that he knows this could be a special year."
— Jason Quick (@jwquick) January 24, 2015
That feat would be even more difficult to accomplish if Aldridge was sidelined for a lengthy period of time. Not only would Portland take a tumble down the Western Conference standings without its star, but would also lose the all-valuable continuity its gleaned from two seasons of fortunate health and a steady core of players.
But this decision will only pay-off if Aldridge plays like his pre-injury self. We’ll find out if he can tonight when the Blazers face the Washington Wizards.
What do you think?
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