The Blazers late Thursday night said Nurkic will undergo more imaging and consultation in the coming days to determine a course of recovery. No timeline has been announced, but the way his teammates and coach talked Thursday, it sounds like he will miss significant time.
“It’s just terrible,” McCollum said. “Nurk is a huge part of our team.” The injury touched a nerve on the Blazers because Nurkic is more than just their starting center. He is, as top executive Neil Olshey once said, the team’s “spirit animal.” He comes across as cocky and brash to opponents, but to his teammates, he is happy-go-lucky and humorous. And while he is burly and tough on the court, he is sensitive and caring off the court, the closest among any on the team to Lillard’s son, Damian Jr.