Portland Trail Blazers guard Matisse Thybulle will miss three to four weeks after undergoing a procedure to address inflammation in his right knee, the team announced ahead of Friday night’s final preseason game against the Utah Jazz at the moda Center.
The Blazers will begin the season without two of their regular shooting guards. Shaedon Sharpe will miss the first few weeks of the season with a left shoulder posterior labral tear.
“I definitely don‘t like it,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said about losing both guards. “But you do what you got to do. But those two guys obviously were a big part of our rotation and what we want to do. But we’ll survive.”
The Blazers open the regular season Wednesday night at home against the Golden State Warriors.
Guard Anfernee Simons, who missed the first three preseason games with right ankle soreness, will return to the starting lineup against the Jazz.
Billups announced he would start Simons, Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara, Jerami Grant and rookie center Donovan Clingan.
Scoot Henderson will come off the bench.
Jabari Walker (ankle soreness) remains out. Deandre Ayton will sit to rest.
• • •
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS VS. UTAH JAZZ
What: Trail Blazers (2-1) vs. Jazz (4-1), 7 p.m., Friday.
Where: Moda Center
Radio: Rip City Radio (KPOJ 620 AM).
TV channel: KATU (Antenna: 2.2 in Portland).
Streaming: BlazerVision.
ODDS (Oregon Lottery/DraftKings)
Moneyline: POR -108 | UTA -112
Spread: POR -1 | Over/Under: 220
INJURIES
Blazers: Jabari Walker (ankle soreness), Shaedon Sharpe (left shoulder posterior labral tear), Robert Williams III (left hamstring strain), Matisse Thybulle (right knee soreness) and Deandre Ayton (rest) are out.
Jazz: Isaiah Collier (right hamstring strain) is out.
NEXT UP
The Blazers open the regular season at 7 p.m. Wednesday against the Golden State Warriors at the Moda Center.
— Aaron Fentress | [email protected] | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook)
