Trail Blazer Injuries

[simple simon]

Ok, I know Oden is out for the season after breaking again ... (was he in that Bruce Willis movie)

When are the others expected back ?

On the 'Nate Hot Seat' thread most seem to be letting him slide due to injuries .... will the team be close to 100% this season at any point ?

[BLAZER PROPHET]

These are all fairly major injuries that included surgeries, so we may have nobody back this year, or 4 players. So far as I know, there is no real time table for any of the players.

[e_blazer]

The most recent estimates that I've heard have Rudy Fernandez being available around the middle of January, Batum at about the All-Star break, and Travis anywhere from the All-Star break to next season. Pendergraph, our rookie PF who had hip surgery at the start of the season was suited up tonight for the first time this season. Patty Mills, rookie PG, is due back from his broken foot soon as well.

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Originally Posted by e_blazer

The most recent estimates that I've heard have Rudy Fernandez being available around the middle of January, Batum at about the All-Star break, and Travis anywhere from the All-Star break to next season. Pendergraph, our rookie PF who had hip surgery at the start of the season was suited up tonight for the first time this season. Patty Mills, rookie PG, is due back from his broken foot soon as well.

Do you think some of these players are coming back too soon?

[BlazerCaravan]

Originally Posted by BLAZER PROPHET

Do you think some of these players are coming back too soon?

The only one of those four I worry about is Batum, since Blake's shoulder injury seems to have basically ruined him as a player. But otherwise, we're probably fine. Mills and Pendergraph won't play for a couple *cough* seasons *cough* err, weeks or even another month while they get the offense going in practice. Outlaw is taking a lot longer than Webster did the first time, so we're probably safe-ish there. Batum I worry about, but that's to be expected.

The short answer for Simon is no; we likely won't be 100% this season. We're essentially at 40% now, with only 2 of our 5 best players available to start, and our top two bench players also gone (both instant offense guys). That's 60% of our starting lineup and 30% of our bench.

By February we will be up to 60-70%, but losing Oden was big, and by the time our other guys come back, it'll be too late to talk playoffs without sighing like we've just been dumped.

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Originally Posted by BlazerCaravan

The only one of those four I worry about is Batum, since Blake's shoulder injury seems to have basically ruined him as a player. But otherwise, we're probably fine. Mills and Pendergraph won't play for a couple *cough* seasons *cough* err, weeks or even another month while they get the offense going in practice. Outlaw is taking a lot longer than Webster did the first time, so we're probably safe-ish there. Batum I worry about, but that's to be expected.

The short answer for Simon is no; we likely won't be 100% this season. We're essentially at 40% now, with only 2 of our 5 best players available to start, and our top two bench players also gone (both instant offense guys). That's 60% of our starting lineup and 30% of our bench.

By February we will be up to 60-70%, but losing Oden was big, and by the time our other guys come back, it'll be too late to talk playoffs without sighing like we've just been dumped.

The foot & hip injuries concern me the most as basketball players can reinjure those quite easily. And that type of reinjury can mean a tremendously long recovery period extending well into next season.

[BlazerCaravan]

Originally Posted by BLAZER PROPHET

The foot & hip injuries concern me the most as basketball players can reinjure those quite easily. And that type of reinjury can mean a tremendously long recovery period extending well into next season.

Yeah, but neither Outlaw nor Pendergraph will be our problem in a couple years, so I'm not exactly chewing my nails over it.

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Originally Posted by BlazerCaravan

Yeah, but neither Outlaw nor Pendergraph will be our problem in a couple years, so I'm not exactly chewing my nails over it.

Really?

I can see Outlaw moving on if he can't find minutes, but he's a very dependable shooter for the most part. Good off the bench. As to Pendy, maybe we should see him play first before we dismiss him.

As for me, I don't like carrying 15 players and I don't like carrying players at the same position that are too equal in talent. Once we're paying Oden his near max contract we're going to have to start unloading people.