Jusuf Nurkic, Cody Zeller Enter Health & Safety Protocols

Some Portland Trail Blazers were left with coal in their stockings after Christmas.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Jusuf Nurkic and Cody Zeller have both entered health & safety protocols.

This will keep the pair of big men out for at least 10 days, or the next five Blazers’ games.

The news comes after five players entered protocols over the weekend: Keljin Blevins, Robert Covington, Ben McLemore, Dennis Smith Jr., and Trendon Watford.

And with CJ McCollum still nursing his collapsed lung, the rotation is without most of its members.

With Zeller and Nurkic out, expect Larry Nance Jr. and rookie Greg Brown’s minutes to increase.

The team’s three hardship exception players (Jarron Cumberland, Cameron McGriff and Brandon Williams) should also have a better chance to see the court and the Blazers will sign at least one more player to a 10-day hardship exception deal before the team’s game tomorrow night against the Dallas Mavericks.