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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, January 14, 2010

NBA: Add all-star Brandon Roy to Blazers' injury list


Advertiser staff and wire reports

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Trail Blazers are now 5-for-5 when it comes to injuries to their starting unit.

All-Star guard Brandon Roy has a strained right hamstring and is questionable for Friday night’s game against the Orlando Magic.
Roy came out of the third quarter of the Blazers’ 120-108 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night. He had an MRI Thursday morning which confirmed the strain.
“In the third quarter I made a play and it just kind of grabbed at me,” Roy said afterward.
The two-time All-Star leads the Blazers with an average of 23.4 points and 5.1 assists per game.
Coach Nate McMillan said Thursday that he believes Roy has been bothered by the hamstring for a while.
“He’s a tough guy. He’s probably played with this for a few days, a week or so, and he’s been able to play through it,” McMillan said. “The thing last night he kept feeling like this is not feeling right.”
The injury-depleted Blazers have had to lean on Roy, who is in his fourth NBA season.

All five of last year's starters — Steve Blake, LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum and Joel Pryzbilla — are suffered injuries this season, some more debiliating than others.
Centers, Greg Oden, who took over the starting spot this season, and Pryzbilla, are out for the year after suffering knee injuries that required surgery and forced 16-year veteran forward Juwan Howard into a center role.
Batum had shoulder surgery before the start of the season and has been out all season. He is expected to return, possibly next month.
Blake (pneumonia) and Aldridge (sprained ankle) also have missed games.
But the injury list didn't stop there.
Top sixth man Travis Outlaw broke his foot early in the year and Spanish sharpshooter Rudy Fernandez had back surgery in December. He returned yesterday.
Rookies, Jeff Pendergraph (hip) and Patty Mills (foot), also underwent surgery before the season. Both have returned, though Mills has been assigned to the Developmental League.