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Freeland’s injury not as bad as initially thought

Blazers lose big man to shoulder injury for at least 2 weeks

By Erik Gundersen, Columbian Trail Blazers Writer
Published: January 4, 2015, 4:00pm

TUALATIN, Ore. — Following their 115-107 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, the Portland Trail Blazers returned to the practice court Sunday with a focus on their defense and without two of their starting big men.

Joel Freeland thought his right shoulder strain was going be a serious one, having sustained a minor rotator cuff tear during his playing days in Spain. He thought surgery might be necessary and was relieved to hear he would only be out for two weeks.

“I don’t know what it was,” Freeland told reporters Sunday. “It was kind of a tearing sensation. I thought I had done something pretty bad. It kind of just went numb. But when I went out, the pain subsided a little bit.”

Freeland wore a sling at practice and said it hurt even worse following the game and Sunday.

At least for the first few days, Freeland will be taking it easy. He joins Portland’s starting center Robin Lopez on the bench due to injury.

Freeland suffered a knee injury last season which caused him to miss the rest of the season and this injury isn’t nearly as serious.

“At the moment it’s just light movement,” Freeland said of his rehabilitation. “Trying to get the joint moving and get some blood flowing through it. I can’t do much more than that at the moment anyway. It’s just way too painful.”

Freeland, ever the optimist, is already looking at the bright side of his situation.

“These things happen,” he said. “That’s another reason I was relieved that they gave me the two week timeline. It gives me time to recharge the batteries and gives me time to go back out there.”

Head coach Terry Stotts would not give any indication as to who would start in Freeland’s place Monday when they take on the Los Angeles Lakers.

LaMarcus Aldridge has been the lone big man at times for the Blazers but Stotts can go with Chris Kaman, Meyers Leonard or Thomas “Truck” Robinson.

The Blazers themselves won’t get caught up in the position.

“If he plays with Truck, you could say Truck is the five and LA is the four,” Stotts said. “He’s going to be out there with Meyers, I don’t know. But you’re going to see different lineups out there and different responsibilities.”

Priorities at the basket

But the Blazers were reminded at practice of their responsibilities on the defensive end.

Stotts addressed the Blazers need to improve their interior defense at length Saturday and watching film confirmed what he saw.

“It’s a concern,” Stotts said of Portland’s defense in the paint. “I think it’s a variety of things. Taking one-on-one challenges a little bit better. It’s better pick-and-roll defense. A tighter weak side. It’s more help when the ball does get there. Transition plays into that as well. It’s not one thing.”

The Blazers have allowed the third-most shots inside the restricted area per game in the NBA this season according to NBA.com. Only the New Orleans Pelicans have allowed as many shots at the rim over the last 10 games although they still are in the top-three in points allowed per 100 possessions.

But Sunday’s loss also showed another shortcoming for this excellent Blazers team and that’s their lack of production around the basket and at the free-throw line.

The Blazers are at the bottom of the league in both shots inside the restricted area and free-throw rate, how many free-throws they attempt relative to their field goal attempts, but Stotts isn’t as concerned with where his team is getting their points.

“Working from inside out is a good catch-phrase, but I think it’s hard to get good shots in this league,” Stotts said. “If everybody could get to the basket, they would. There is defense there. The fact that we can make those shots is a good thing.”

Damian Lillard lamented not attacking the basket earlier in their loss on Saturday and the Hawks shot 31 free-throws to Portland’s 12.

“We don’t get to the free-throw line much,” Stotts said. “But I think Damian and LA in particular take the ball to the basket and get to the paint and create problems.”

The Blazers have a top-eight offense and their defense still carries them. While they have shortcomings in some key areas, they aren’t going to change their identity, an identity that has been key to their success the last two seasons.

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Columbian Trail Blazers Writer