Trail Blazers Injury Report: Rockets, Portland Sitting Several Vets

Alex Kirschenbaum | Apr 12, 2024

Oct 28, 2022; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers small forward Jerami Grant drives to the rack against Rockets center Alperen Sengun. / Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Buckle up for an action-free battle of Western Conference playoff non-hopefuls tonight!

The Western Conference's No. 14-seeded Portland Trail Blazers, who sport the fifth-worst record in the NBA at a miserable 21-59, will host the West's No. 11-seeded Houston Rockets (39-41). With both clubs packing it in as they prepare for this year's NBA draft lottery, it is perhaps fitting that they are sitting most of their veterans in an effort to maximize their losses during the 2023-24 regular season's final few days. The Trail Blazers are also sitting plenty of their younger players for good measure.

According to the league's latest injury report, Portland will definitively be missing guards Anfernee Simons (left knee tendinitis), Malcolm Brogdon (right elbow tendinitis), and Shaedon Sharpe (lower abdominal surgery), while upstart 6'9" point guard Dalano Banton is questionable with a left ankle sprain.

On the forward front, the Trail Blazers will be without rookie Toumani Camara (left rib fracture), plus veterans Jerami Grant (right hamstring strain) and Matisse Thybulle (right ankle impingement). Combo forward Justin Minaya is questionable with a sprained left index finger. Perpetually hurt center Robert Williams III has missed all but six games thanks to his right knee ligament tear. Justin Minaya is questionable with a sprained left index finger.

On the Rockets front, recently-acquired center Steven Adams has been out all year following a right knee PCL injury that required surgery, and that won't change in this home stretch of games. Another vet, pricey point guard Fred VanVleet (right hip contusion), is also on the shelf. Two young forwards are out in Tari Eason (left tibia surgery) and Jae'Sean Tate (right ankle sprain). Rookie Amen Thompson, meanwhile, is slated to play through his right fifth finger tendon injury.

The action tips off tonight at 7 p.m. PT.