Luke

Babbitt

Batum’s status will be determined on a game-by-game basis, but the signs here are not good. His knee has been an issue for weeks now and he couldn’t even finish out Wednesday’s game. The Blazers have also fully committed to getting a look at their younger players, so Luke Babbitt figures to see plenty of burn regardless. Streamers should note that Babbitt has averaged 17.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 3-pointers over his last two games.

Luke Babbitt took his place, and it’s unknown if Batum will return. However, we’re guessing he’s done for the night, and will finish with two points, as the decimated Blazers are down 21 in the third quarter. As an update, Batum never returned in the second half, and it’s quite possible his season is over. Check back for updates on his status. If he’s out then Luke Babbitt, who scored 16 tonight, would be the guy to pick up.

He started the second half for Nicolas Batum, who sat down with a sore knee, and could find himself in the starting lineup the rest of the way. If it happens, Babbit, who had 18 points and four 3-pointers on Sunday, could be a very sneaky pick-and-play the rest of the way.

Against a contending team like the Spurs, it’s understandable why the mediocre Babbitt struggled in a blowout. For those seeking 3-pointers, we’d advise using him in Thursday’s finale against the Jazz, assuming Nic Batum is still out.

Batum’s absence means that it’s more likely that Jamal Crawford (knee) will play, so we’ll be on the lookout for that update. Babbitt is an excellent play this week for owners hunting threes.

This doesn’t tell us much but it’s about as good as it can get for an injury report other than the obvious. Jamal Crawford started Monday’s game in his place, though at this stage of the season we wouldn’t be surprised to see a guy like Luke Babbitt get a start if Batum misses more time, either.

Batum has been diagnosed with left quad tendinitis and was unable to go through the morning shootaround. He hobbled his way through 27 minutes on Saturday and scored just six points in 39 minutes on Friday. If Batum can’t go Monday, Jamal Crawford is tentatively expected to shift into the starting five. Luke Babbitt will also see a boost in minutes.

We’re not all that high on Babbitt, but we get the sense that the Blazers might use him to tank with. We’re not advising an add unless you’re desperate for threes in a deep league, but we’ll be keeping one eye on Babbitt to see where this heads.

Babbitt played 17 minutes and added three rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block. The Portland fans were thrilled to see him make some buckets, but there’s really nothing to see here from a fantasy perspective. He needs multiple injuries before he’ll hit the radar.

Luke Babbitt starts in his place, and with the Blazers embracing their young players we see little hope of Batum returning for the final two games of the season, Monday and Thursday. He remains officially day-to-day.