The Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons is expected to miss four to six weeks of action as he is set to undergo thumb surgery, the team confirmed on Friday. The 24-year-old player injured his thumb during Portland’s season-opening 123-111 loss to the LA Clippers on Wednesday night.
The Trail Blazers confirmed that Simons underwent an MRI on Monday that revealed a tear to the ulnar collateral ligament in the thumb. Having made 18 points during the game, Simons had to be replaced by Shaedon Sharpe, who started Friday’s 97-102 loss against Orlando Magic.
“Ant’s the kind of player that he’s gained a type of respect where whether he’s making shots or not, you have to play him a certain way,” coach Chauncey Billups commented. “You game plan for him. We’ll miss that. We’ll miss, obviously, his shot-making and his play-making. You miss those things.”
