Sometimes even professional athletes get a snow day – although in Trail Blazers star Deandre Ayton’s case on Wednesday it was more of an ice storm day.
Wicked weather that struck the Portland region on Tuesday was still creating havoc the day after and prevented Ayton from getting to Moda Center to face the Nets.
Ayton already had missed 11 games with right knee tendinitis and had been scheduled to return to the floor on Wednesday, Blazers coach Chauncey Billups told reporters before the game, according to OregonLive.
“Ayton tried for hours to combat the sheet of ice leading out of his neighborhood and the team sent people out to help as well, but to no avail,” Trail Blazers team reporter Casey Holdahl wrote on X.
The Trail Blazers were 10-29 this season going into the game against the Nets, and they’ve gone 3-8 without Ayton in the lineup.
Ayton has not played in a game since the Trail Blazers lost on the road to the Warriors on Dec. 23.
He is in his first full season with the Trail Blazers after he was acquired in a trade with the Suns last season.
Ayton has averaged 13.1 points and 10.8 rebounds while shooting 54.8 percent from the floor.
He should be able to get back onto the court Friday when Portland faces Indiana.
The Pacific Northwest was hit by tough winter weather that has created dangerous conditions and has left 50,000 Oregon residents without power, according to PowerOutage.us.
The icy conditions have made Portland roads treacherous to travel on and more freezing rain is possible for the area on Thursday, according to KOIN.
