If the Portland Trail Blazers are going to bounce back in Game 2, they're going to have to do it short-handed.
Already playing without Wesley Matthews and Dorell Wright, the Blazers will also be short Arron Afflalo and Chris Kaman at The Grindhouse on Wednesday.
Afflalo has been dealing with a right shoulder strain. While it was thought possible he'd be ready for Game 2, he was ruled out after a pregame workout. The shoulder injury cost Afflalo the final three games of the regular season and Portland's ugly playoff-opening loss.
That leaves Portland woefully thin on the wing, where Afflalo is their best play alongside Nicolas Batum. In 25 games with Portland, Afflalo averaged 10.6 points and 2.7 rebounds while knocking down 40 percent of his 3-point attempts. Since 2010, he's averaged 15.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists while hitting 38.1 percent from outside.
C.J. McCollum stood to start in Afflalo's place, and while he's improved appreciably on the offensive end this season, he struggled in the series opener. Allen Crabbe got the surprise nod instead.
Kaman, meanwhile, hurt his left ankle in practice Tuesday. He played 14 minutes off the bench in Game 1, minutes that will now go to Meyers Leonard and Joel Freeland.
