Nicolas Batum was held out of Wednesday's win at Utah after his back tightened up during pregame warmups, The Oregonian reports.

Batum was held out of Wednesday's win at Utah after his back tightened up during pregame warmups, The Oregonian reports.

Analysis:

Entering the game with questionable availability, Batum was initially listed as a starter. However, his name was removed from the starting lineup after the aforementioned development and ultimately kept him on the pine. While his teammates put an end to a five-game skid, his treatment included a heating pad on the afflicted region. In his stead, Allen Crabbe got the nod at small forward, as LaMarcus Aldridge (finger) returned to action, which will likely repeat if Batum is ruled out for Friday's game at Phoenix.