Batum misses last game: Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum was held out of the team's final game of the season against the Jazz on Thursday, as he continues to deal with tendinitis in his left quadriceps. He missed five of the team's final nine games with the injury. (Updated 04/27/2012)
Injury Report
No information available at this time (Updated 5/25/12).
Fantasy Analysis
Batum thrived once he was inserted into the starting lineup for Portland as he averaged 15.2 points in his 34 starts, despite dealing with this lingering injury for the final month of the season. He is a restricted free agent this offseason, however the Blazers have plenty of cap room and are expected to retain the talented swing man's services at all costs. He is expected to be a big part of their future, and he showed what he could do when he started, so consider him a mid-round selection on Draft Day next season with plenty of upside. (Updated 04/27/2012).
04/15/2012 21:08 Thornton hits game-winner for Kings
Marcus Thornton scored 20 points and made the winning jumper with 3.2 seconds left, lifting the Sacramento Kings to a 104-103 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night.
04/10/2012 00:46 Rockets complete 4-0 road trip
Goran Dragic scored 22 points and the Houston Rockets completed a perfect four-game road trip with a 94-89 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night.
04/04/2012 16:05 Postups: Free-agent class of 2012 looking bare after Williams
It's not the Summer of Dwight we once expected. Instead, Deron Williams stands as the only player worthy of a max deal. Ken Berger says whether he stays with the Nets or leaves will alter the landscape of free agency.
04/03/2012 00:38 Millsap scores 31 in Jazz's victory
Paul Millsap had 31 points, including a go-ahead dunk with 1:11 left, and pulled down 11 rebounds to help the Utah Jazz snap a three-game losing streak with a 102-97 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night.
Nicolas Batum averaged a career-best 10.1 shot attempts per game last season, his playing time increasing due to an injury-riddled campaign for Brandon Roy. While Roy will remain a focal point for the Trail Blazers this season, there remain huge question marks surrounding what level of playing time he will be able to handle this season due to his chronic knee issues. That should allow Batum to step into a similar role this year, playing 30-plus minutes per game and providing scoring in the low-to-mid teens. He is an above-average 3-point shooter who has chipped in about 1.5 3-pointers per game the last two seasons and should also contribute about four or five boards per contest. Count on him for just under a steal and a block per game with solid free-throw percentage, making him a solid reserve to target as a player you will likely be able to use on and off throughout the season. Under the right circumstances, he could even break out to become more than just a role player. (Updated 8/30/11)
