Apr
13
The headline pretty much sums it up right? I’m referring to LaMarcus Aldridge. His season has come to an unfortunate end due to a labral tear in his right hip. It was revealed on Thursday that Aldridge will have surgery to repair this very soon back in Colorado. Aldridge is expected to be on the shelf anywhere from 2-4 months.
So, he misses the final seven games. No biggie really. The playoffs are virtually (yet not mathematically eliminated) out of question for the Blazers. The more important issue is to nip this in the bud before it becomes something more serious. Afterall, Aldridge is the Blazers long term investment. And, given the teams recent history of injuries, the Blazers want nothing more than to get a return on their investment. Easy move for LA. It’s not only the right decision, it was the ONLY decision.
Aldridge is the one pillar that this Blazers team has moving forward. He’s the one sure thing that Blazer management will build around this summer. And while one door closes, a few others open up for the final stretch of games. Enter J.J. Hickson. This guy has been chomping at the bit to show off his game even more to Rip City. And, since the 23-year-old joined the Blazers in mid-March, nobody can say they haven’t been enamored with his play. Opportunity is definitely knocking. One would certainly think that Hickson’s play has caught the attention of teams throughout the league with his energetic and effective play. You can bet he’ll have plenty of NBA teams showing an interest.
Aldridge says he’s not going to push through the rehab process. But it does put his chances at making the US Olympic team this summer in doubt. Said Aldridge, “I definitely don’t want to have surgery. But on the other end of it, it finally tells me what I was feeling. For those two weeks, I was feeling pain and discomfort. So now everything makes sense.”
This isn’t the first time Aldridge has had hip issues either. Back when he was a freshman at University of Texas, he had surgery on his left hip to repair torn cartilage. Dr. Marc Phillipon performed that surgery, and will also do this one.
While many Blazer fans are showing a high amount of concern, Aldridge doesn’t sound like this will affect him in the least. “This was very precautionary moving forward. Right now it’s nothing major, but if you don’t get it fixed, it could be something more serious. This is something that’s proactive.”
Aldridge finishes his first All-Star campaign with the following numbers: 21.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, and career highs in field goal percentage (51.2%), and free throw percentage (81.4). Again Blazer fans, this is for the greater good.