Injuries are a killer for many professional sports teams, but some more than others as injuries seem to happen more frequently and always to big name players.

The Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA are one of those teams that are extremely talented and plagued with injuries every single season.

Over the past three years or so this has never been more apparent for the Portland Trail Blazers as they have had their number one overall pick Greg Oden go down with injuries in three straight seasons and their all around best player Brandon Roy struggle to stay healthy when the team needs him the most.

This season the Blazers have played well and as a result will head into the playoffs as the sixth seed in the Western Conference. This is impressive to say the least with all the competition in the West, but their successful season will most likely come to end quicker than expected as they will face the run and gun Phoenix Suns in the first round the playoffs without Brandon Roy in the lineup as he recovers from surgery on his right knee.

Now the Blazers hopes of advancing in the playoffs aren’t completely shot as they have some young players on their squad that will cause problems for the fast paced Phoenix Suns, but without Roy in the lineup they will miss that leadership on the floor and 21.5 points per game he put up on a nightly basis.

Without Brandon Roy, the Blazers will look to forward LaMarcus Aldridge for leadership and guidance as they try and pull off the series upset against Steve Nash and the high powered offense of the Phoenix Suns.

Personally, I believe this series will be a close one with or without Brandon Roy, but without the All-Star guard in the lineup, the Phoenix Suns should advance when it is all said and done.

Related News

• Western Conference Playoffs: First Round Matchups
• Kobe Bryant lights up the Phoenix Suns in game one of West Finals
• Ron Artest saves the day for the Lakers in game five
• Is Tony Parker done in San Antonio?
• Celtics take game one and the early lead in the Eastern Conference finals