LaMarcus Aldridge will return to the Portland Trail Blazers' lineup for the first time in seven games on Thursday against the Atlanta Hawks.

Aldridge was out with a back injury suffered during a nasty fall on March 12. 

“I’m going,” Aldridge said. “We’ll see how it goes, but I’m going.”

Aldridge said he still feels some pain in the back when he runs, but he said it’s just time he plays.

“I want to come back because I’ve been out so long,” he said. “I didn’t think it was going to take this long, but backs are a sensitive area to injure. It’s taken longer, and we’ve exhausted every treatment and every option to rehab, so try it out.”