Aldridge will have further tests before the Spurs can determine just how long he will be out, the team announced on Saturday. Aldridge has had heart issues in the past and was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome – an abnormality that can cause a rapid heartbeat – as a rookie in 2007.

”All parties have concluded that at the current time it is best for Aldridge to refrain from play until further tests and examinations are completed,” the Spurs said in a statement.

Aldridge missed the final seven games of his rookie season after doctors used an ablation – a procedure designed to treat tissue in the heart to make the heartbeat regular again – to treat him and get him back on the court. He also needed an ablation during training camp in 2011, but was able to return to the court in time to play in the preseason and made the All-Star team for Portland that season.

The Spurs were well aware of Aldridge’s heart issue when they signed him to a max contract as a free agent in 2015. It has always been considered a minor situation and he has been able to return to playing relatively quickly after each episode, but they still weren’t taking any chances.

”Unexpected, but it’s a sensitive issue, so we want to make sure that he’s fine,” Spurs guard Manu Ginobili told reporters at the team’s shootaround on Saturday morning. ”The most important thing is to have him healthy. We’ll wait as long as is necessary for him to feel secure and sure, and the team, too.”

The news for Aldridge comes on the heels of star forward Kawhi Leonard being placed in the league’s concussion protocol. That means that the second-seeded Spurs will play the top-seeded Golden State Warriors on Saturday night without their two best players. It remains unclear how long Leonard will be out.

”This is tough when you lose your two best scorers in a single day,” Ginobili said. ”This is tough to face.”

But the Warriors will be short-handed as well. Coach Steve Kerr is resting Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala at the end of a grueling 13-day stretch of the schedule.

The 6-foot-11 Aldridge is averaging 17.3 points and 7.4 rebounds for the Spurs (50-14), who have the second best record in the league and trail the Warriors by 1+ games in the West.

The Spurs are also missing point guards Tony Parker (back) and Dejounte Murray (groin).

It remains unclear how coach Gregg Popovich will juggle the roster to account for Aldridge’s absence. He does have veteran David Lee and rookie Davis Bertans as other power forwards on the roster. Depending on matchups, he also may be able to slide Pau Gasol from center to power forward.

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The 6-foot-11 player was diagnosed at the end of his rookie season in 2007 with a condition that can cause a rapid heartbeat.

Aldridge is averaging 17.3 points and 7.4 rebounds for the Spurs, who are 50-14 and have the second-best record in the league.

This development comes on the heels of San Antonio star Kawhi Leonard being placed in the league’s concussion protocol.

The Spurs host NBA-leading Golden State on Saturday night. The Warriors are already without Kevin Durant and plan to rest four key players for the game: Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala.

The post Spurs’ LaMarcus Aldridge out with minor heart problem appeared first on IdealCapper.

L.A. Clippers At Portland
When: 10:00 PM ET, Saturday, January 26, 2013
Where: Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon
TV: 10 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), KGW (Portland)
Prediction: Trail Blazers 96, Clippers 91.

Oddsmakers currently have the Clippers listed as 2-point favorites versus the Trail Blazers, while the game’s total is sitting at 192.

Reserve guard Jamal Crawford scored 25 points when Los Angeles defeated Portland 103-90 on Nov. 8 in the first meeting between the teams. Crawford scored 21 points in the loss to Phoenix for his fourth 20-point outing in six games. Crawford is averaging 16.7 points in a good bounce-back campaign after one lackluster season in Portland. Crawford averaged 14 points for the Trail Blazers but shot just 38.4 percent from the field. Eric Bledsoe has just seven total assists while filling in for Paul over the past two games. Bledsoe averages 8.9 points and 2.7 assists.

Last time out for Los Angeles, they were a 93-88 loser as they battled the Suns on the road. The Clippers failed to cover in the match as a 6.5-point favorite, while 181 combined points moved the game UNDER for totals bettors.

Team record: 32-12 SU, 25-19 ATS
Current streak: lost 3 straight games.
LA Clippers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing Portland
LA Clippers are 19-6 SU in their last 25 games
LA Clippers are 10-4 SU in their last 14 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 8 of the LA Clippers last 12 games when playing on the road against Portland
When playing on Saturday are 4-6
Before playing Portland are 6-4
After playing Phoenix are 9-1
After a loss are 4-6

Forward LaMarcus Aldridge is headed to the All-Star Game for the second straight season after being picked as a Western Conference reserve. “It means a lot to me,” Aldridge said. “Hopefully I can be a three- and four-time All-Star also.” Aldridge and Miami’s LeBron James are the only players averaging more than 20 points and eight rebounds. Aldridge’s marks are 20.7 and 8.8, respectively. “I’m very happy for LaMarcus, he is the foundation of what we are building here,” Portland coach Terry Stotts said. “He is very deserving of this honor and I’m glad he was recognized by my fellow coaches.” Aldridge has nine double-doubles in January and had 27 points on 12-of-17 shooting in Wednesday’s victory.

Last time out for Portland, they were a 100-80 winner as they battled the Pacers at home. The Trail Blazers covered in the match as a 1-point favorite, while 180 combined points moved the game UNDER for totals bettors.

Team record: 21-21 SU, 19-21-2 ATS
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of last 6 games at home
is 19-6 SU in their last 25 games when playing at home against LA Clippers
is 13-5 SU in its last 18 games at home
is 13-6 SU in their last 19 games when playing LA Clippers
When playing on Saturday are 4-6
Before playing LA Clippers are 8-2
After playing Indiana are 1-9
After a win are 6-4

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Nicolas Batum scored 26 points, Damian Lillard had 21 points, six assists and five rebounds, and LaMarcus Aldridge had 19 points and 14 rebounds for Portland.

Stoudemire finished with six points on 3-of-8 shooting and one rebound in 17 minutes off the bench in his return from knee surgery. Anthony shot 14 of 24 and nearly led the Knicks back from 19 points down after missing two games with a knee injury, but the Trail Blazers had too many options.

J.J. Hickson scored all of his 18 points in the first half as Portland won for the third time in four games.

Anthony had missed the previous two games with a hyperextended left knee. The Knicks are still without point guard Raymond Felton because of a broken pinky finger and struggled to get their offense going until too late, losing for the third time in four games.

J.R. Smith had 28 points and 11 rebounds for the Knicks.

Stoudemire had surgery on Oct. 31 to clean up tissue in his left knee and decided to play after going through a couple of practices this week, though adding he wasn’t yet 100 percent. The former All-Star who has battled injuries in recent years was clearly rusty but showed he can still finish at the rim when set up properly.

Coach Mike Woodson wouldn’t say how long Stoudemire would remain a reserve. Stoudemire and Anthony have struggled to play together and the Knicks have a losing record when both play, but Woodson has said the Knicks need both of them on the floor to have a shot at a championship.

Stoudemire was already done for the night when the Knicks made a late run, cutting an 11-point deficit with 3:16 remaining to 100-97 on Anthony’s 3-pointer with 57 seconds left. Lillard answered with a 3-pointer, but the Knicks got it right back down to three again when Anthony converted a three-point play with 29 seconds to go.

The Knicks forced a jump ball and Smith won it, but Anthony missed a 3-pointer. Wesley Matthews, back after missing four straight games with an injured left hip, made two free throws with 13 seconds left to close the scoring.

Stoudemire got a standing ovation when he headed to the scorer’s table before checking in with 3:31 remaining in the first quarter. The Knicks went right to him in the post, but he stepped on the baseline while making his move.

The cheers turned to boos, not heard often this season during the Knicks’ 12-2 start at home, just a few minutes later.

Portland used an 11-0 run in the second quarter to extend a seven-point lead to 43-25 on Mathews’ basket with 7:20 remaining. The lead was 19 when Stoudemire returned with 5:36 left and the Knicks scored seven straight points, but the Blazers regrouped and got it back to 18 after consecutive baskets by Hickson before Stoudemire sat down again.

It was 58-47 at halftime after Anthony banked in a 3-pointer on a broken play with 0.1 seconds left.

The Knicks looked better offensively when Stoudemire returned with 5:06 left in the third quarter and Portland leading by six. He got his first basket when Anthony found him inside with 3:11 left, and he showed his old explosive finishing ability with a dunk later in the period, but the Knicks couldn’t close much of the gap because of their poor defense on Batum. The Frenchman scored 13 points and made three 3-pointers in the quarter, giving the Blazers a 78-71 advantage.

Game notes

The Knicks fell to 16-7 overall and 13-3 at home on New Year’s Day. The record by an opponent for points against the Knicks on Jan. 1 is held by Woodson, who scored 36 for the Clippers in 1988. … This was the Blazers’ first trip to New York since last March 14, when the Knicks won 121-79 hours after Mike D’Antoni resigned and Woodson became the interim coach. Blazers coach Nate McMillan was fired the next day.

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