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TUALATIN — Cliff Alexander has encountered a significant setback in his quest to make the Trail Blazers' regular season roster.
The undrafted rookie out of Kansas is expected to miss a "couple weeks" with a bone bruise in his left knee, coach Terry Stotts said, an injury confirmed by a Friday magnetic resonance imaging test.
It's unclear how and when the 6-foot-8 forward suffered the ailment, but Alexander hasn't practiced the last two days and will be sidelined indefinitely.
"We're going to kind of shut him down for a couple weeks and then work him back in," Stotts said Saturday after the Blazers' workout at the practice facility in Tualatin. "So he's going to be back for a little bit."
The Blazers signed Alexander in July, but his deal is not fully guaranteed, so he's in the middle of a training camp battle to make the regular season roster. He impressed coaches and teammates with his work ethic and rugged play when the Blazers gathered for voluntary workouts and pick-up games in September and he appeared to be on the path toward earning a roster spot. Blazers veteran Chris Kaman told The Oregonian earlier in the week that he thought Alexander should have been a first-round draft pick and Stotts on Saturday offered praise.
But while the timing seems detrimental to Alexander's chances of making the regular season roster, Stotts said it wasn't anything but a deathblow. When asked if a player like Alexander can miss two weeks of training camp and still make the team, Stotts immediately said yes.
"He's a young guy," Stotts said. "We have to cut two players. So hopefully he'll stay involved and get back. But I think it's too early to make any decisions like that."
http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/i...r_to_miss_a_couple_wee.html#incart_river_home
The undrafted rookie out of Kansas is expected to miss a "couple weeks" with a bone bruise in his left knee, coach Terry Stotts said, an injury confirmed by a Friday magnetic resonance imaging test.
It's unclear how and when the 6-foot-8 forward suffered the ailment, but Alexander hasn't practiced the last two days and will be sidelined indefinitely.
"We're going to kind of shut him down for a couple weeks and then work him back in," Stotts said Saturday after the Blazers' workout at the practice facility in Tualatin. "So he's going to be back for a little bit."
The Blazers signed Alexander in July, but his deal is not fully guaranteed, so he's in the middle of a training camp battle to make the regular season roster. He impressed coaches and teammates with his work ethic and rugged play when the Blazers gathered for voluntary workouts and pick-up games in September and he appeared to be on the path toward earning a roster spot. Blazers veteran Chris Kaman told The Oregonian earlier in the week that he thought Alexander should have been a first-round draft pick and Stotts on Saturday offered praise.
But while the timing seems detrimental to Alexander's chances of making the regular season roster, Stotts said it wasn't anything but a deathblow. When asked if a player like Alexander can miss two weeks of training camp and still make the team, Stotts immediately said yes.
"He's a young guy," Stotts said. "We have to cut two players. So hopefully he'll stay involved and get back. But I think it's too early to make any decisions like that."
http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/i...r_to_miss_a_couple_wee.html#incart_river_home
