The Trail Blazers are bracing for a long stretch without Vit Krejci after the guard suffered a fracture in Friday’s game, according to head coach Micah Nori.
Nori said after the win that it’s not yet clear whether the broken bone is in Krejci’s leg or ankle, but the early expectation is that he’ll be out for the foreseeable future. The injury came in the third quarter when Krejci sprinted back on defense and tried to draw a charge on Suns forward Miles Bridges.
He took an awkward step before contact, then went down grabbing his lower leg in obvious pain. Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams helped him off the floor moments later.
Freeman reported that Krejci left the arena on crutches and in a protective boot on his left foot.
“It’s tough,” Clingan said of the injury. “He’s a guy who has taken great advantage of his minutes and it’s definitely tough to see someone who is as good of a guy (as he is) go down like that. But we’ve got his back.”
Nori said the locker room was “very somber” after the game, and the team still doesn’t know whether Krejci will need surgery.
The setback adds to a backcourt that has already taken a hit this season. Shaedon Sharpe had knee surgery in August and is out for at least six months, while Ja Morant suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain last week and is expected to miss at least four weeks.
Even with those absences, Portland still has Damian Lillard, Scoot Henderson, and Jrue Holiday to handle the backcourt load. Two-way guard Chris Youngblood could also be in line for more minutes until one of the injured guards returns.
“It’s awful for Vit,” Nori said, per Freeman. “But … we talked about it this summer, like, ‘What are you going to do with all these smalls?’ Well, goodness gracious, thank goodness we have them all.”
Krejci, who arrived in a trade-deadline deal last season, gave Portland solid minutes down the stretch, averaging 7.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 19.2 minutes per game over 19 appearances off the bench. He’s struggled to find the same rhythm this season, putting up 2.7 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in his first seven games while shooting 30.0% from the field.
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