Deandre Ayton Injury Status for Blazers vs Nuggets

Will Portland's ascendant center suit up against MVP Nikola Jokic?

Feb 10, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) controls the ball as Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton (2) guards in the first quarter at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Will ascendant Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton suit up against three-time MVP Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic on Wednesday night?

Per the Trail Blazers' official public relations X account, Ayton will miss Portland's rematch with the Nuggets due to a left calf strain. Reserve point guard Scoot Henderson will also be sidelined with a right ankle sprain while former two-time All-Defensive Team shooting guard/small forward Matisse Thybulle has yet to make his season debut as he recuperates from a right ankle sprain.

Read More: Jerami Grant Injury Status for Trail Blazers vs Nuggets

Two-way player Justin Minaya is away from the team as he puts in reps with Portland's G League affiliate, the Rip City Remix.

INJURY REPORT 2/12 @ DEN:

OUT
Deandre Ayton (L Calf Strain)
Scoot Henderson (R Ankle Sprain)
Justin Minaya (Two-Way)
Matisse Thybulle (R Ankle Sprain)

QUESTIONABLE
Jerami Grant (R Knee Soreness)
Kris Murray (L Quad Contusion)
Robert Williams III (R Knee Soreness)

— Trail Blazers PR (@TrailBlazersPR) February 11, 2025

Starting power forward Jerami Grant is questionable with a sore right knee.

Former All-Defensive Team center Robert Williams III has a sore right knee, while forward Kris Murray is grappling with a left quad contusion — both are questionable to suit up off Portland's bench, too.

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Ayton has been red-hot during Portland's recent 10-3 run across its past 13 bouts. The former No. 1 overall pick (above future perennial MVP contenders Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, plus future All-Stars Trae Young and Jaren Jackson Jr.) has averaged 17.1 points on 57.3 percent shooting from the floor and 72.4 percent foul line shooting, 10.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.0 blocks and 0.8 swipes a night.

In Portland's last encounter with Denver, a 146-117 blowout loss to the 2023 champs, Ayton scored just 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting and block. Donovan Clingan stepped up when Ayton went down with his calf injury, scoring a career-best 22 points on 8-of-8 shooting from the floor and 4-of-4 shooting from the foul line, pulling down seven rebounds and blocking one shot.

Jokic, meanwhile, scored 40 points on 15-of-22 shooting from the field (2-of-7 from deep) and 8-of-8 shooting from the charity stripe, eight assists, seven rebounds, three steals and one block.

Over the full balance of the 2024-25 season, the 7-footer out of Arizona has been averaging 14.4 points on 56.6 percent shooting from the field and 66.7 percent free throw shooting, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per bout.

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