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Blazers without Oden again vs. Timberwolves

Feb 27, 2009 - 7:59 PM Portland (35-22) at Minnesota (18-39) 8:00 p.m. EST

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- The Portland Trail Blazers are sliding and Greg Oden can't help stop the bleeding.

The Trail Blazers will be without Oden once again on Friday when they wrap up a three-game road trip against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

After winning three straight games, Portland has dropped its last two games, to the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs.

All five contests have come without Oden, who chipped his left kneecap when he collided with Warriors forward Corey Maggette during a 105-98 loss at Golden State on February 12.

The top pick in the 2007 draft out of Ohio State, Oden missed all of last season following microfracture surgery on his right knee and this seems to be another setback.

Oden ran during the team's light workout on Thursday in Minneapolis. Blazers coach Nate McMillan was not optimistic after watching Oden run and ruled him out for Friday.

Oden also could miss Sunday's game against San Antonio.

"It didn't look good to me," McMillan told the Oregonian at the team's shootaround Friday. "I just ... it didn't look good to me. It didn't look like he had his natural stride. Looking at that, I don't see him being ready for Sunday after what I saw yesterday."

Luckily for the Blazers, the Timberwolves have also been struggling and enter the contest on a four-game losing streak that includes a 120-103 drubbing by the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.