One of the less-discussed positive side effects of the NBA’s season pausing for multiple months is that many players across the league who thought their seasons had come to an end due to an injury are now able to play. It adds a new level of intrigue to an event that will already produce much excitement.
One of the most notable teams to see a boost in their roster was the Portland Trail Blazers, who are directly competing with the Pelicans for the eighth seed in the playoffs. Lonzo Ball was asked about teams adding newly freshly-recovered players to their roster during the break following the team’s first practice in the bubble on Friday.
“I think we just control what we can control. We just worry about ourselves. Whoever the opponent is, we’re supposed to beat them. It’s that simple. It really doesn’t matter who’s in the other jersey.”
The Trail Blazers had been one of the more injury-riddled teams in the league this season but saw both Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins. Both players returned to practice for Portland on Saturday as the team is at full health.
The Pelicans themselves, though, also benefitted from the break as JJ Redick, who was projected to miss multiple weeks with a hamstring injury, will be able to finish out the rest of the regular season.
Ultimately, it’s another wrinkle in what will be an exciting finish to the season for NBA fans.
