The Portland Trail Blazers didn't have the mental wherewithal to celebrate clinching a sixth consecutive playoff appearance on Monday night. After their dramatic 148-144 double-overtime win over the Brooklyn Nets, Damian Lillard and company were much too consumed by emotions gleaned from Jusuf Nurkic's devastating season-ending leg injury to think big picture. Despite the pain and shock incurred by suffering multiple compound fractures, though, Nurkic couldn't help but prioritize his team's accomplishments while beginning his recovery at the hospital.
According to team reporter Brooke Olzendam, the first thing the Bosnian Beast said to general manager Neil Olshey from his hospital bed was “At least we won the game.”
Nurkic was coming down with an offensive rebound midway through the second extra session when he landed awkwardly in a mishmash of bodies near the basket. Upon noticing the extent of his injuries, multiple Nets ran the other direction in disbelief. Nurkic was eventually taken off the floor on a stretcher after his broken left leg was put in an air cast. The fourth-year pro was playing one of the best games of his career before going down, scoring 32 points, grabbing 16 rebounds, and dishing out five assists, to go along with two steals and four blocks.
Nurkic underwent surgery to repair fractures of his tibia and fibula on Tuesday. There is no current timeline for his return to the floor.
The Blazers, 46-27, are mere percentage points ahead of the Houston Rockets for third in the Western Conference. Versatile sophomore big man Zach Collins, buyout signee Enes Kanter, and veteran reserve Meyers Leonard will be asked to pick up Portland's slack on the interior given the absence of Nurkic, who'd been enjoying a career season on both sides of the ball.
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