Trail Blazers forward Maurice Harkless said his knee injury would sideline him between 10 days and six weeks.
After he underwent surgery today, a clearer timeline has emerged.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN:
Portland Trail Blazers forward Maurice Harkless will be re-evaluated in two weeks after left knee surgery today, league sources tell ESPN. His recovery could range from two-to-three weeks, sources said.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 28, 2018
This would mean Harkless misses the rest of the regular season – and maybe some of the playoffs. With such a narrow gap between the 3-8 teams in the Western Conference, Harkless’ exact return date could make the difference between third-place Portland advancing or not in the postseason.
Harkless is a versatile defender who has knocked down his 3-pointers this season. That’s an important combination in any playoff matchup. The Trail Blazers also have Evan Turner, but Turner’s shaky outside shooting can be exploited. They’d be far better off if Harkless is healthy.
