After returning from a disappointing 1-4 road trip, the Portland Trail Blazers have recently made incremental improvements on the defensive side of the ball thanks to a light schedule that allowed for more practice time and a reviewed focus on getting back to the basics. While they still have a ways to go in order to be an average defensive team from a statistical perspective, they have won three of their last four games during an extended homestand, with those three wins coming by an average of 13.6 points.

And as they embark on another five-game trip, they’re likely to get another boost defensively with the imminent return of forward Al-Farouq Aminu, who has been upgraded to probable for Monday night’s game versus the Bulls in Chicago after missing the last 13 games with a strained left calf.

“It’s exciting man to play basketball again, really excited about it,” said Aminu after the team’s practice in Chicago Sunday night. “Excited about what the team’s been doing — we just won two in a row. Just hope that I can add on to it.”

The Trail Blazers began the 2016-17 regular season by going 5-3 with Aminu starting, but have gone 6-7 since with the 6-9 forward from Wake Forest sidelined. And during that stretch, the Trail Blazers have gone from being a team that was at least passable on the defensive end to one that ranks 28th in opponent field goal percentage and 30th in defensive rating. While some of that can be attributed to factors other than Aminu’s absence, there is little doubt that Portland is much better off, on both sides of the ball, with Aminu on the court.

“It’s always would of, should of, could of,” said Aminu. “I could have been out there and it could have been the same thing, then we wouldn’t have looked like we had any type of answers. It is what it is, just going to continue to do what I do and hopefully it was those things, hopefully I am the answer. That would be nice. Then we could really get on a streak and start doing what we’ve set out to do this year.”

True to his humble nature, Aminu was adamant that whatever struggles the team has endured while he was watching from the sideline won’t necessarily be fixed with his return. But considering he is very likely Portland’s best and most diverse defender, it’s hard to imagine his availability won’t be a net positive for a team that currently sits at 11-10 a quarter of the way through the regular season.

“When I’m at the four, me and Moe (Harkless), we can guard guards and posts, so it just allows us to do a lot of different things,”said Aminu. “In that respect, I do think that we’ll be better defensively. Just try to keep getting better as a collective unit as well, because at the end of the day, one person doesn’t win or lose games.”

Nor does one person fix a defense that has only held teams under 100 points three times this season, but Aminu being available sure isn’t going to hurt Portland’s ability to slow teams down.

“It’s good for our team,” said Maurice Harkless of Aminu’s return. “He’s one of our better defenders, better rebounders. He changes the game for us, offensively as well. Having another big, another guy who plays big who can shoot, it helps space the floor. You know I love playing with him because we have good chemistry together. I’m excited for him to be back.”

Though when Aminu makes his return is still to be determined. While Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts said Aminu would be active for Monday’s game, he declined to say whether the 6-9 forward would play, let alone return to the starting lineup, versus the Bulls. Stotts also said it has not yet been decided whether Aminu will be under a minutes restriction when he does return.

“When Chief comes back he’s going to help us at both ends of the court,” said Stotts, with a heavy emphasis on the “when.” “He’s an integral part of the team, that was shown last year and at the beginning of this year. When he comes back, his versatility defensively will help us. I think the starting unit with him in it has always been a pretty solid lineup, so we’re looking forward to when he comes back.”

While it’s possible Aminu doesn’t play Monday, it’s almost a certainty he’ll make his first appearance since Nov. 8 at some point in time during Portland’s upcoming five-game road trip. So with his first extended hiatus due to injury almost over, Aminu is ready to get back on the court, whenever that may be.

“It’s annoying, first time it’s ever happened,” said Aminu of his extended absence. “It was annoying but you can’t just say ‘Everything happens for a reason’ when things are going good. You’ve got to say it at all times. So that’s what I told myself, maybe a little rest would help me out, I don’t know. Just continue to do what you’re supposed to do, go hard, different things like that, just let it pan out how it’s supposed to.”