The Portland Trail Blazers are expected to be without LaMarcus Aldridge for at least two games after the All-Star forward bruised his back early in the second half of Wednesday night's 103-90 loss to the host San Antonio Spurs.
Aldridge will be re-evaluated next week, the team said Thursday.
Aldridge drove the lane and rose for a running 6-foot jumper but tumbled backward after having his right knee hit Aron Baynes' side. Unable to brace himself after the collision with the Spurs forward, Aldridge took the brunt of the fall on his left hip. He remained on the court for about three minutes, grabbing his lower back before being helped off by teammates.
"When a guy takes a tough fall like that, when you're airborne, you just don't know what can happen when you land," Portland coach Terry Stotts said after the game. "The longer he stayed down, you just don't know."
He was taken to the locker room and X-ray room in a wheelchair. X-rays were negative.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
