***Disclaimer: This article was written by Jason Quick*** I have included the entire article here, so there should be no need to click the link. In actuality, if you click the link, it will send you to my startup gigolo website. SO, DON'T DO IT! Lol.... http://www.csnnw.com/portland-trail...mited-he-tries-play-through-hip-and-back-pain MEYERS LEONARD LIMITED AS HE TRIES TO PLAY THROUGH HIP AND BACK PAIN By Jason Quick March 22, 2017 2:26 PM Meyers Leonard’s right hip has been in so much pain recently he said he hasn’t been able to sleep at night. The hip pain, compounded with two herniated discs in his back, has left the Trail Blazers big man playing on virtually one leg for the past week and a half, he says. “It’s a very bizarre feeling to be playing the highest level of basketball while feeling like I have one leg,’’ Leonard said Wednesday. “It’s frustrating to say the least.’’ Leonard had an MRI on the hip on Monday, which revealed some damage, but he wished to keep the issue private. Leonard said he first felt the hip pain in Phoenix last week, and thought it was just the result of playing in a back-to-back. However, as the trip progressed, he was in nightly pain, so much so that he couldn’t sleep. He said the combination of herniated L4 and L5 discs and the hip issue have rendered his right leg powerless. He knew it was a problem in New Orleans when he received an inside pass from Al-Farouq Aminu and was blocked as he went to dunk, unable to get his normal elevation. Since that New Orleans game, Leonard has played seven minutes, three minutes, six minutes and seven minutes. In the 15 games prior, he was averaging 19 minutes a game while playing perhaps his best basketball of the season, with averages of 6.6 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 36.6 percent from three-point range. “I can’t really explode to get rebounds, really,’’ Leonard said. “I’m just trying to hide it, trying my best not to let it show.’’ Against Atlanta, Leonard remembers coach Terry Stotts approaching him and asking him if he could give him three good minutes in the fourth quarter. He did – playing three minutes and hitting 1-of-2 shots while adding a rebound. “I’m just trying to give some semi-quality minutes,’’ Leonard said. “If you watch the last couple of games it’s only been me trying to get Dame and CJ open on ball screens, get Allen open on pin downs, and get in the way on box outs … and shoot when I’m open. I’m just trying my best not to let it show.’’ Leonard, however, can be seen dragging his right leg in the limited time he has seen recently, in what he says is an effort to become tougher mentally. He said in Detroit last month he was bumped on the right hip during a pregame warmup by assistant Jim Moran and it felt like he had “been shot by a shotgun.” He took anti-inflammatories and played 18 minutes in that game. “I’ve just tried to hide it. I’ve got to be tougher about the situation, become tougher mentally.’’ Leonard said. “But it’s real odd to try and play on one leg.’’ Leonard said he has remained on anti-inflammatories and is under a strict rehabilitation and weight lifting regiment to build strength back in his right leg. “Basically, they say hopefully it will die down in seven to 10 days,’’ Leonard said. “And it has gotten better. On our last trip, in Atlanta, I couldn’t sleep it was so painful. But it has died down with the medication.’’ Any marked improvement doesn’t appear imminent. On Wednesday, Leonard said he attempted a round of three-pointers during practice. “I couldn’t get any lift off the floor,’’ he said. “It’s just odd, awkward feeling.’’ Leonard's injury comes at a time when the Blazers' already have center Ed Davis out for the season after undergoing left shoulder surgery on March 7. With Leonard's limited availability, Noah Vonleh on Tuesday played extended minutes at backup center behind starter Jusuf Nurkic.
So, I'm not sure about the timing, but looks as if Olshey signed a guy with two herniated discs to a four year contract?
I'm going the other direction. Meyers is hurting the team by even making himself available to play, let alone by giving ineffectual minutes. Was it a coincidence that the Blazers immediately gave up their first quarter lead over Milwaukee when Meyers came in for Nurkic? I'd much rather we play small, with Vonleh getting all the backup center minutes, than have a one-legged Leonard on the court. It's better for the team, and I believe it's better for him as well.
Meyers is injured because we continue to play him out of position. Everyone knows his best position is sitting on the bench and cheering.
Two herniated disks.... that nuts. He shouldn't be playing on that. Sign somebody else and sit Meyers until we trade him in the offseason.
he should do what he needs to do to get better. Especially if it potentially has long term effects on his well being. As someone who had back issues in his younger days, I know what it's like to be miserable due to it.
We have to cut someone? We didn't get any type of roster exemption with Ezeli being out the whole year? or does that not work in this situation?
No one was going to trade for him healthy either. He's basically a sunken cost. Best hope is probably a team like the the Nets.
Stotts seems to like Pat a lot more then most board members. There is really only one choice if (and BIG IF) they made a move.
I'm trying to be positive but losses like Milwaukee make me very negative so I'm sorry. I hope Meyers gets better and can play at a high level someday in the future! But now our bench has no player taller than 6'9" and most of them are 6'6" or shorter. Jusuf can't play 48 minutes! When is Ed coming back? I think we are in trouble for making the playoffs... sorry for being negative but I'm worried about the next games.
