UPDATE: Deandre Ayton's Current Status For Nuggets-Trail Blazers Game

UPDATE: Deandre Ayton is available (h/t Underdog NBA).
Deandre Ayton (illness) will start Thursday.
— Underdog NBA (@Underdog__NBA) December 20, 2024
On Thursday, the Portland Trail Blazers will host the Denver Nuggets in Colorado.
For the game, they could be without one of their best players, as starting center Deandre Ayton is on the injury report.
Ayton has missed each of the previous two games, so this would be his third straight out of action (if he doesn't play).
Via Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report on Wednesday: "For tomorrow: Deandre Ayton is listed as questionable with an illness and Dalano Banton is questionable with a hip contusion. (DA has been back at practice and talked to us today and seemed fine so I don't know what's going on there, but it's what's on the report.)"
For tomorrow: Deandre Ayton is listed as questionable with an illness and Dalano Banton is questionable with a hip contusion. (DA has been back at practice and talked to us today and seemed fine so I don't know what's going on there, but it's what's on the report.)
— Sean Highkin (@highkin) December 19, 2024
Ayton currently has averages of 14.2 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists per contest while shooting 55.4% from the field and 26.3% from the three-point range in 17 games.
The Trail Blazers are the 13th seed in the Western Conference with an 8-18 record in 26 games.
They have gone 2-8 over their last ten (and are in the middle of a six-game losing streak).
Following their matchup with the Nuggets, the Trail Blazers will play their next game on Saturday when they visit Chris Paul and the San Antonio Spurs.
As for the Nuggets, they come into the matchup with Portland as the fifth seed in the west with a 14-10 record in 24 games.
They are currently in the middle of a three-game winning streak (and 6-4 over their laast ten).