2 min read • March 29, 2022
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Despite being squarely in the play-in race, it appears the Trail Blazers are waving the white flag on the season as they announced Monday they will shut down dynamic guard Anfernee Simons, oft-injured center Jusuf Nurkic, and new addition Eric Bledsoe for the season.
Simons has stepped in admirably in Damian Lillard's absence as one of the lone silver linings in what was otherwise a lost season for Portland, but hasn't played since March 5 with left patellar tendinopathy.
The ailment was originally diagnosed as a quad contusion, but later tests showed soreness stemming from his knee that has kept him out the last 11 games. The 22-year-old was averaging 23.4 points and 5.8 assists on .456/.423/.866 shooting splits in 27 games since stepping in as the full-time starter on Jan. 3.
Nurkic, who the ProBasketballDocs anticipated wouldn't return this season, has missed the last 15 games with plantar fasciitis in his left foot. He has not played since Feb. 16, but had been playing through the ailment since September.
Nurkic has not played in more than 56 games in a season since suffering a broken left leg on March 25, 2019.
Joining the duo is Eric Bledsoe, who recently underwent a PRP injection in his ailing left achilles and will also miss the remainder of the season.
Remaining Portland starter Josh Hart will miss the next week with left patellar tendinopathy, and seems poised to join the trio on the sidelines for the rest of the season.
The Blazers, 27-47, have lost 3 in a row and are 2-8 in their last 10, all of which has come without Simons and Nurkic.
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