The Portland Trail Blazers, who for weeks have offered little-to-no information about their slew of injured players, finally provided updates New Year’s morning.
Eleven different Blazers players have combined to miss 180 games with injuries and illnesses this season, including a variety of starters, rotation players and key veterans.
What’s the latest?
Here’s a breakdown of where things stand with four of the most prominent injured players:
Scoot Henderson
Scoot Henderson, who suffered a torn left hamstring before training camp and has not played this season, is “entering the next phase of his rehabilitation,” according to a release from the Blazers.
The third-year point guard has not taken part in any scrimmaging or competitive basketball work, but is participating in “non-contact, on-court basketball activities,” per the release.
Henderson will be re-evaluated in two weeks, according to the team. But, he said, there remains no timeline for his return.
Henderson said his rehabilitation includes a variety of exercises designed to strengthen the area around his hamstring and add stability and balance. He’s steadily increasing his movement and has participated in solo shooting drills.
Trainers are measuring Henderson’s balance and strength using force plates, he said, and “they are pretty equal right-to-left.”
“I’m feeling good,” Henderson told The Oregonian/OregonLive last week. “I hope I’m back by … tomorrow. For real. But there’s no real date right now."
Jrue Holiday
Jrue Holiday has not played since Nov. 14 because of a right calf strain, missing the last 22 games.
Initially, the team said he would be re-evaluated in one-to-two weeks. Instead, he’s been sidelined seven.
Things seemed to be trending in the right direction in the middle of December, when Holiday participated in portions of Blazers practice. But soft tissue injuries are finicky and Holiday’s has lingered longer than expected.
The Blazers said Thursday that Holiday has been cleared for a “progression of on-court basketball activities as he continues his return-to-play process” and his availability will be determined “based on functional response to loading.”
Holiday is averaging 16.7 points, 8.3 assists and 5.3 rebounds this season and the Blazers (14-20) are a different team with his defense, playmaking, shooting and leadership at point guard. Portland is 6-6 with Holiday in the starting lineup — but just 8-14 without him.
Matisse Thybulle
Matisse Thybulle underwent surgery on Halloween to repair a tear of the UCL in his left thumb and has missed all but just four games this season.
But his thumb ailment, evidently, is not what’s holding him back.
The Blazers said Thursday that Thybulle has been dealing with right knee tendinopathy, a previously undisclosed injury that surfaced during his “reconditioning” from thumb surgery.
Thybulle continues to “progress with on-court work and conditioning,” according to the release, but the Blazers did not offer a timeline for his return.
Jerami Grant
Jerami Grant has been sidelined with left Achilles tendonitis since Dec. 18 and has missed the last seven games.
But there does not appear to be long-term concerns surrounding the ailment.
The Blazers said Thursday that Grant is traveling with the team on its three-game trip and is considered day-to-day.
Grant has been one of the most productive and consistent Blazers players this season, averaging 20.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists. He opened as the team’s Sixth Man, but moved into a starting role when injuries started mounting midway through November.