Portland Trail Blazers Q&A With David MacKay
By Adam McGee
Jan 28, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) is defended by Cleveland Cavaliers center Timofey Mozgov (20) in the fourth quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Adam: He’s the cornerstone of the team, and sure it’s courageous, but how do you feel about LaMarcus Aldridge’s decision to delay surgery on his injured hand? Would he not be better served resting up for the bigger challenges ahead?
David: I have mixed feelings about Aldridge’s decision. On one hand, I would love for him to rest up for the aforementioned bigger challenges. On the other, there may not be bigger challenges on the horizon without him. As of writing, the injury riddled Trail Blazers have lost seven of their last nine games. An 8.5 game lead on the Oklahoma City Thunder may sound like a lot, but gradual evaporation is not out of the picture.
As far as risk of further injury goes, I trust Aldridge to know his body better than I do. Our athletic trainers have that thumb wrapped like ancient Egyptian royalty, so I don’t see it being a huge concern. In three games since returning, Aldridge has averaged 33.7 points and 10.3 rebounds. Until it bothers him, I try not to let it bother me.
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