Nicolas Batum injures knee

The Trail Blazers fell 88-78 Thursday night to the Boston Celtics, but may have suffered an even bigger loss as starting small forward Nicolas Batum left the game in the second quarter with a left knee injury and never returned.

Batum, who was forced to use crutches to walk after the game, is scheduled to undergo a magnetic resonance imaging test this morning to learn the extent of his injury. If it's something serious, it might just be the nail-in-the-coffin for a Blazers team that has already seen eight different players miss a combined 156 games this season because of injury.

"I'm kind of numb to guys getting hurt," LaMarcus Aldridge said afterward in a solemn Blazers locker room. "It seems like every game we have an MRI. We hope that he's OK. We can't afford to lose anybody else."

Batum suffered his injury midway through the second quarter on defense when he elevated to block a layup attempt by Celtics forward Paul Pierce. Batum said he felt something "stretch" in his knee and instantly called a timeout, waiving to the Blazers bench for a substitute with 5:41 remaining in the second quarter.

"When Paul Pierce went for the layup, I tried to block his shot," Batum said, recounting the play. "And I don't know why, but my foot stayed on the ground and I couldn't jump. I feel something stretch in my knee."

His reaction?

"Now me," Batum said, chuckling. "Why me? You know. So many guys have got knee surgery, knee injuries. I have to get through it now."

News of Batum's knee injury overshadowed a dominant performance by the Celtics, whose rugged defense and in-your-face style stymied the Blazers most of the night.