Blazers sideline reporter braved broken foot and icy conditions to make it to game that DeAndre Ayton missed

Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton was sidelined by icy conditions this week, an absence that was outdone by everything the team’s courtside reporter endured to make her assignment.

After playing high school, college and most of his NBA career in Arizona, Ayton probably hasn’t had to deal with brushing much snow and ice off his car before driving to a game. But in his first winter in Portland, Ayton was recently introduced to the ice and it caused him to miss a game. Ayton was healthy and expected to play for the Blazers Wednesday night, but he was unable to navigate the icy conditions in his neighborhood and subsequently never made it to the arena.

The broadcast aptly didn’t mock Ayton for taking a snow day, but they did perhaps inadvertently highlight the bizarreness of the excuse. In the fourth quarter of a one-point game, play-by-play voice Kevin Calabro and analyst Michael Holton briefly ignored a crucial possession to celebrate courtside reporter Brooke Olzendam’s ability to attend the game.

This had to be awkward for Deandre Ayton who was still home because of the icy conditions pic.twitter.com/9X0Ip6YRCS

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 19, 2024

“How are you doing by the way?” Calabro asked Olzendam

“I’m OK, I’m on the mend, the boot’s still rocking, and I thank you all for your support,” Olzendam said with a chuckle, prompting Holton to inquire about what happened. “Sledding incident of 2024, I was in southwest Portland, I was a little bit out of control heading down to the bottom, I tried to stop myself by flinging my right leg and I literally smacked it against the sidewalk in Uggs, which do not have a ton of support. Woke up in the middle of the night, could not walk.”

Olzendam broke her foot before Sunday’s game. Not only did she break her foot but she had no power at her house, was unable to get her car out of the garage, and needed to find an Uber to the game.

“But you made it!” Holton said in a congratulatory tone, celebrating the fact that she found a way to work on Sunday and Wednesday.

Well, that had to be pretty awkward for Ayton if he was watching. Olzendam made it, but Ayton did not. Realistically, one situation doesn’t have much to do with the other, and reports coming from the Blazers claim Ayton really couldn’t break the ice and get to the game. Even their attempts at getting to Ayton supposedly failed. But when fans hear Olzendam’s story and then they hear Ayton’s story, it certainly will make his absence all the more bizarre.

Ayton’s absence looks bad on the surface, but it would have been much worse if he was injured during his attempt at getting to the game. We’re glad he’s healthy and expected to be available for Friday night’s game in Portland, weather pending of course.

[Root Sports Northwest]