Jusuf Nurkic Fractures Right Leg, Out at least 2 Weeks

(Credit: Bruce Ely)

Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic suffered a non-displaced fibular fracture in his right leg in the team’s 117-107 win over the Houston Rockets on Thursday, the team announced. He’ll be sidelined and re-evaluated in two weeks.

Nurkic played through the injury to finish with 19 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks against the Rockets. The loss is a blow to a Trail Blazers team that rallied around the unique versatility of their newly acquired big man to make a late-season playoff push.

Portland acquired Nurkic and the Denver Nuggets’ 2017 first-round pick in exchange for Mason Plumlee on Feb. 12. He averaged 15.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.9 blocks per game before his injury, helping guide the Trail Blazers to 14-6 record -- which includes a 13-3 mark in March. The hot streak has propelled them into eighth place in the Western Conference, two games ahead of the Denver Nuggets.

He became the first player to average 15 points and 10 rebounds in their first 20 games as a Trail Blazer since Mychal Thompson in 1978.

His presence has been a boost on both ends of the court as he has added a low-post scoring threat on offense and shot-blocking force on defense the team sorely lacked. Since the All-Star break, the Blazers have been the NBA's eighth-best defensive team and third-best offensive team, no doubt a byproduct of his addition.

Nurkic has been remarkably consistent and he has played some of his best in some of the Blazers’ biggest games. In arguably the most important matchup of the season on Tuesday night, Nurkic finished with a career-high 33 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks as the Blazers beat the Denver Nuggets. Two nights later, during a victory over the Houston Rockets, Nurkic had 19 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.

He has recorded nine double-doubles with the Blazers, including five in the last seven games.

But now the Blazers (37-38) must press on without him. Meyers Leonard is now the only healthy center on the Blazers' roster, but starting power forward Noah Vonleh has seen an increase in playing time at center in recent weeks.

Portland hosts the Phoenix Suns Saturday night at 7 p.m. at the Moda Center, then leaves for a two-game trip against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Utah Jazz. Five of the Blazers' final seven games are at home and three are against teams with winning records.

It's unclear how Nurkic suffered his injury, but at one point in the second half against the Rockets, team trainers were spotted applying a wrap to his right leg as he sat on the Blazers' bench. So, presumably, he hurt himself during that game.