UPDATE: Anfernee Simons (forearm) has been ruled out Tuesday against the Hawks.
April is upon us and the NBA regular season is winding down. As teams hit the home stretch, rebuilding squads are preparing to maximize their lottery odds ahead of the upcoming draft this summer.
The Portland Trail Blazers play the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, April 1. They’ll be shorthanded for that contest according to the latest NBA injury report, and they could be without their best scorer, as well.
Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons is officially questionable for Tuesday’s game with a right forearm contusion.
Simons did play in Portland’s last game, a 110-93 loss to the New York Knicks on Sunday night. Simons played over 30 minutes in that one, finishing with just 15 points and four assists.
On the season, the 25-year-old averages 19.3 points and 4.8 assists per game. Simons is having a bit of a down year compared to his production and scoring efficiency of the last two seasons. However, he still remains a key piece in the Trail Blazers’ rotation as they continue building towards the future.
As for the rest of the Trail Blazers’ lineup, several other pieces remain sidelined for Tuesday against the Hawks. Center Deandre Ayton is still sidelined due to a calf strain and hasn’t played since February 10, while forward Jerami Grant is doubtful with knee inflammation and hasn’t taken the court since March 9. Meanwhile, point guard Scoot Henderson is out due to concussion protocol, and big man Robert Williams III is still sidelined as well after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery almost two weeks ago.
With key rotation pieces all missing, watch for Shaedon Sharpe or Toumani Camara to move up in the pecking order if Simons misses Tuesday’s game. Either one could potentially be a value play in DraftKings DFS contests with a higher workload, as could center Donovan Clingan, who has excelled as the starting center in Ayton’s absence.
