Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic is officially out indefinitely following successful surgery to repair a compound fracture sustained during Monday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets, according to the Athletic’s Shams Charania. The team also received some good news: Doctors reportedly found no nerve or muscle damage. Nurkic was injured during the second overtime, fracturing both his tibia and fibula on the left leg.
Nurkic was taken to an area hospital immediately after the game. Rip City, as well as the rest of the league, wishes the best for Nurkic, who has had an incredibly productive season up to this point. Our Managing Editor Dave Deckard provided his thoughts about last night’s events earlier today.
On Monday morning, the Blazers announced that Nurkic suffered compound fractures to his left tibia and fibula and will be out indefinitely as he works his way back to full health.
Nonetheless, the loss is a big one for the Blazers, who are in the midst of a fight for homecourt advantage in the ultra-competitive Western Conference. Blazers head coach Terry Stots called the injury – and the resulting loss of Nurkic’s services – “devastating,” while Blazers All-Star guard Dame Lillard felt physically ill for his teammate.
“It made me sick to my stomach,” Lillard said on the injury, via ESPN. “I think he tried to tip it in, he crashed the glass and I saw him hit the ground and roll over real quick, and I thought maybe he got hit in the face or something again. As I was walking over there, I saw everybody else turn around real quick and walk away, and then I looked and saw his leg — and you just hate to see that happen to him.
