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PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Portland Trail Blazers say forward LaMarcus Aldridge has decided to put off thumb surgery and play Saturday night against Washington. Aldridge had said on Thursday that he needed surgery to repair a ligament in his left thumb and was expected to miss from six to eight weeks. But just hours before the game against the Wizards, the Blazers announced on Twitter that the three-time All-Star would play. "We don't know if it's going to go good or bad but I think at the least I'm going to try," Aldridge said before the game. Aldridge hurt his thumb when his hand came down on the knee of Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins in the second quarter of the Blazers' 98-95 victory on Monday night. The 6-foot-11 power forward leads Portland with averages of 23.2 points and 10.2 rebounds and 1.18 blocks per game. He's one of just three NBA players averaging at least 23 points and 10 rebounds. Coach Terry Stotts said he was informed of Aldridge's decision just after shootaround on Saturday. "I'm glad he's here," Stotts said. "Obviously we're a better team with him playing." The injury looked like a big blow to the Blazers, who were already dealing with a depleted front line. Center Robin Lopez is out with a fractured right hand and center Joel Freeland is sidelined with a strained right shoulder. Starting small forward Nicolas Batum left Thursday night's 90-89 loss at home to the Boston Celtics after he aggravated a right wrist injury that had been bothering him. Batum was ruled out for the game against Washington, Stotts said. Center Chris Kaman, who has a leg bruise, was in the lineup Saturday. Going into Saturday's game, Portland was 31-13 and had lost five of six games. Aldridge said the close loss to the Celtics impacted his decision, and that his doctors told him there was "no harm in giving it a shot." In the past two days he's been able to move his thumb, which also factored into the decision. But he still has pain. "My idea now is to play the rest of the season," he said. "But if it gets too much where I can't handle it or I'm not playing at a very good level then I'll stop. But hopefully it goes well for us." If he gets through the season, he'll have the surgery in the offseason, he said. In his ninth NBA season, all with Portland, Aldridge recently moved into second on the franchise list for both points (11,782) and rebounds (5,095). He trails only Clyde Drexler with 18,050 points and 5,339 rebounds. Blazers guard Damian Lillard said he greeted Aldridge with applause when he came into the locker room after his return was announced. "I can't even sit here and tell you how big it is just for him to be out there," Lillard said. "Sixty percent, 70 percent LaMarcus Aldridge is better than no LaMarcus at all. I'm happy he's going to be out there."
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