After losing Greg Oden to a season-ending injury before the season even began, many predicted a long 2007-08 season for the Portland Trail Blazers.
But thanks to LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland has been fairly competitive and sits third in the Northwest Division. However, the Blazers will be without their leading scorer and rebounder for likely at least the next five games after an MRI on Aldrdige's right foot revealed he has plantar fasciitis.
Aldridge, who is averaging 18.7 points and 7.7 rebounds, has been fitted with a walking boot and did not practice Monday and or travel with the team to Salt Lake City, where the Blazers face the division leading Jazz on Tuesday; Utah is -13 at WagerWeb.com.
"The doctors are telling us at least a week,' coach Nate McMillan said. "It could calm down sooner, or it could be longer. We just know if he continued playing on it, there was a risk.'
McMillan said he will start Channing Frye at power forward against the Jazz and likely going forward.
"I want to keep Travis (Outlaw) in his spot coming off the bench,' McMillan said.
Aldridge has been icing his foot after games and practices without complaining to the coaching staff that his foot was bothering him. However, during Sunday's game against the Bucks, McMillan said it became apparent to the coaching staff that his foot was bothering him.
"We knew he was sore, but last night we really took notice,' McMillan said. "It didn't look like he was himself out there."
If Aldridge misses one week, that means he will miss five games: Tuesday at the Jazz, Wednesday at home against Golden State, Friday at home against Utah, Sunday at Denver and Monday at home against New Orleans.
LEBRON SET TO RETURN: Cavaliers star LeBron James, who has missed Cleveland's past five games -- all losses -- with a sprained left index finger, is expected to be back in the lineup Tuesday night when the Cavaliers host the Indiana Pacers; Cleveland is -4 at WagerWeb.com.James isn't healed, but said: "It still hurts, but it is better than a week and a half ago. I'm going to go out there and play the way I have been playing. My timing doesn't go away, the speed of the game doesn't affect me. I'm conditioned enough to miss a few games to come back and be fine.'
But after missing the most games with any injury in his career, the finger has calmed down enough to allow him to get back out on the court with the help of a protective glove that he will wear over the knuckle.
'It is not 100 percent at all,' James said. 'It probably won't be 100 percent until the offseason. ... but I think they're looking forward to me hopefully .. . coming back [Tuesday]."
Meanwhile, power forward Anderson Varejao was in Canada getting his work visa and will play Tuesday night if he gets back in time, coach Mike Brown said.
Brown said Varejao's weight and body fat were close to what they were at the end of last season, which shows that he has been working out in Brazil. He will play his way back into shape.
'He's in OK shape. Does that translate him being able to play in an NBA game at full speed for an extended period of time? I don't know,' Brown said. 'We'll have to see what his wind is like for game time."
BARGNANI BACK? Toronto Raptors forward Andrea Bargnani (knee) practiced Monday for the first time in more than a week and hopes to play when the Raptors face the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday; Toronto is -3 on WagerWeb.com.
"The knee is getting better every day," Bargnani said.
"Monday I practiced normally and it was feeling good.
I can try to play, we'll see (Tuesday)."
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