Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons has been dealt a setback early into the season.
The 24-year-old injured his right thumb during their season opener against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday, October 25.
Following an MRI conducted on Thursday evening, it was confirmed that there was a tear in the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) of his right thumb, and the team announced that surgery would be necessary.
Simons is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks, including the recovery process.
The Florida native was selected by the Trail Blazers in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft with the 24th overall pick.
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Solid season debut for Anfernee Simons
Simons put up a strong performance during the Trail Blazers' season opener against the Clippers on the road in Crypto.com Arena. However, Portland lost the game, 123-111.
The sixth-year guard contributed 18 points, shooting 6-of-14 from the field and 2-of-6 from beyond the arc. In addition, he grabbed two rebounds, dished out four assists, and made two steals during his 27 minutes of play.
In the 2022-23 NBA season, Simons achieved career-high averages of 21.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in 35.0 minutes per game.
With the departure of Damian Lillard, he is anticipated to make significant progress this year, shouldering greater responsibilities for the team.
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