Monday, December 28, 2009

Roy doubtful vs. Spurs with sprained shoulder

SAN ANTONIO -- Smacked by injuries that have forced six players out of action, the Portland Trail Blazers now have experienced the worst of it.

One night after starting center Joel Przybilla suffered a possible season-ending knee injury, All-Star guard Brandon Roy is doubtful for Wednesday night's game against the Spurs with a sprained left shoulder.

"He's pretty sore," said coach Nate McMillan, who spoke with reporters while on crutches because of his recent Achilles' tendon surgery. "He's still going through some tests."

McMillan said Roy will have an MRI when the team returns to Oregon after the game. He got tangled with a Mavericks player late in Tuesday's game -- a game the Blazers managed to win 85-81 despite the injuries -- going for a rebound after he missed a layup.

"He really wanted to try and play tonight," McMillan said. "Right now, we think we should just hold him.

"I took him out on the last [offensive play] -- he couldn't really lift his [left] arm. On the last defensive play, I put him back in just for size. He could get his right arm up."

The Blazers still are awaiting news of Przybilla's status. He played eight minutes Tuesday before suffering a ruptured right patellar tendon and right patella dislocation.

"Please don't say 'What's next?,' " a grim McMillan said. "Don't even like to talk about it."

Juwan Howard, the 16-year veteran, will start in place of Przybilla, and Jerryd Bayless is tentative to start in place of Roy.

"Bayless, at the beginning of the year, was 11th or 12th man, and and he could be the starter tonight," McMillan said.

"Our guys, last night, they scraped and they found a way. This is going to take some time before we figure out how to attack and how to play."

In addition to Przybilla, the Blazers are without Nicolas Batum (shoulder), Rudy Fernandez (sciatic pain), Patrick Mills (right foot), Greg Oden (left knee) and Travis Outlaw (left foot).