Powell, Zeller Hurt as Blazers Fall to Warriors

The Portland Trail Blazers suffered a couple of potential injuries in Game 1 of their preseason schedule, a tilt against the Golden State Warriors on Monday night. Guard-forward Norman Powell and center Cody Zeller each left the game for health reasons. Neither returned to action.

Powell left the Blazers first pre-season game partway through the third quarter. The Trail Blazers would tweet that Powell was suffering “right hip discomfort”. Head Coach Chauncey Billups would relay in the post-game press conference that pulling Powell was precautionary, and that the hip was simply “bothering him”.

Just a few minutes later in the third quarter, Blazers center Cody Zeller took a shot to the nose from Andre Iguodala coming down from a dunk. At the time, Sean Highkin of Bleacher Report tweeted:

Cody Zeller caught an inadvertent elbow to the face from Andre Iguodala coming down from a dunk. Looks to be in a lot of pain.

Zeller immediately motioned to the bench and trainers came out with towels to cover his face and, presumably, staunch the blood.

Blazers radio host Jay Allen would later tweet:

Chauncey Billups says he thinks Cody Zeller broke his nose tonight. Will get more tests, but that’s the early diagnosis.

We will keep you updated as further news on Powell and Zeller becomes available.