The Blazers are waiting for Greg Oden's return from bone chips in his knee, but they know what it's like to play without him.
"We don't have him. What happened last year -? and what could happen this year if he was healthy ? we don't have him," head coach Nate McMillan told HoopsWorld.
Portland entered Sunday's action with a record of 36-22, good enough for sixth in the tight Western Conference.
"We have to try and get it done without him and try to get him back as soon as possible. Hopefully we have him going down the stretch," McMillan added.