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Almost a year to the day after enduring a horrifying on-court leg injury, Jusuf Nurkic has announced he will return to the Trail Blazers lineup on Sunday, March 15, in a game at Moda Center against the Houston Rockets.
Yahoo Sports reporter Chris Haynes broke the news this afternoon.
"I'm ready to help my team make the playoffs," Nurkic said. "It's time."
The 7-foot-tall center was in the midst of a career year when he suffered a compound fracture of the tibia and fibula on March 25, 2019, in a game in which the Blazers ended up clinching a playoff spot.
Although the team managed to make it to the Western Conference Finals without him, this season, they have struggled. Portland currently has a record of 28-35, placing them three and a half games out from the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. There are 19 games left in the regular season.
Nurkic began practicing again in January, but a mild calf strain delayed his comeback.
The native Bosnian thanked Blazers fans for supporting him during his recovery.
"The day I got injured, I was so impressed with the way the fans, players reached out to me," the center told Yahoo Sports. "Thanks to everybody. That was huge…The way they treated me, I'll never forget that."
Related: Portland Trail Blazer Jusuf Nurkic Loves the Billboard Where Fans Say They Love Him.