C.J. McCollum will miss at least four weeks after suffering a hairline fracture in his left foot and a mid-foot sprain during Portland’s game against the Atlanta Hawks over the weekend. The Trail Blazers will re-evaluate the injury in about a month to see if McCollum is ready to return or will need more time to recover.
The 29-year-old had broken his foot twice before, so the Trail Blazers were sure to be extra careful with McCollum when he suffered an injury in his foot. That caution paid off, as McCollum avoided aggravating the injury even more, which could have forced him off the court for even longer.
This is the second major injury the Trail Blazers have experienced this season, as center Jusuf Nurkic will reportedly miss up to two months after fracturing his right wrist. The 8-6 Trail Blazers have managed to stay competitive in the crowded Western Conference but losing McCollum could mean trouble for Portland.
McCollum was off to a great start to the season, averaging over 26 points per game while establishing himself as a clear second option to Dame Lillard. In fact, McCollum has arguably played every bit as good as his All-Star teammate this year, causing some fans to wonder if Portland could finally make a jump towards title contention.
A month without McCollum will certainly test the Trail Blazers, as there is no clear replacement for McCollum on Portland’s roster. Neither Gary Trent Jr. nor Rodney Hood having McCollum’s abilities as a scorer or playmaker, and tremendous pressure will be on Lillard to carry even more of the offensive load during McCollum’s absence.
