Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton was all set to make his return to the lineup after missing 13 games with tendinitis in his knee.
The frozen weather that has paralyzed the Portland area in recent days changed all that.
A sheet of ice leading out of Ayton’s neighborhood prevented him from getting to the arena for Wednesday night’s game against the Brooklyn Nets, even though the team sent out people to help him.
Blazers coach Chauncey Billups told reporters before the game − which Portland ended up winning 105-103 on Anfernee Simons’ buzzer-beater − that Ayton would have been healthy enough to play had he been able to make it.
The former No. 1 overall draft pick is in his first season with Portland after playing five years in Phoenix.
He’s averaging 13.1 points and 10.8 rebounds over 24 games with the Blazers.