The Portland Trail Blazers' chase for a Western Conference playoff spot was dealt a sobering blow Friday, when the team learned it would be without its starting center for the rest of the regular season.

A magnetic resonance imaging test revealed that Jusuf Nurkic has a non-displaced fibular fracture in his right leg. The 7-foot center will be sidelined for two weeks and then reevaluated, meaning he will miss the Blazers' final seven games of the season.

The Blazers acquired Nurkic in a trade with the Denver Nuggets on Feb. 12 and he has helped resurrect their season, infusing an underperforming and lethargic team with a mix of high-level play and inspiring energy.

In 20 games with Portland, Nurkic has averaged 15.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.9 blocks, and the Blazers have compiled a 14-6 record -- which includes a 13-3 mark in March. The hot streak has propelled them into eighth place in the Western Conference, two games ahead of the Denver Nuggets.

His presence has been a boost on both ends of the court as he has added a low-post scoring threat on offense and shot-blocking force on defense the team sorely lacked. Since the All-Star break, the Blazers have been the NBA's eighth-best defensive team and third-best offensive team, no doubt a byproduct of his addition.

Nurkic has been remarkably consistent and he has played some of his best in some of the Blazers' biggest games. In arguably the most important matchup of the season on Tuesday night, Nurkic finished with a career-high 33 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks as the Blazers beat the Denver Nuggets. Two nights later, during a victory over the Houston Rockets, Nurkic had 19 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.

He has recorded nine double-doubles with the Blazers, including five in the last seven games.

But now the Blazers (37-38) must press on without him. Meyers Leonard is now the only healthy center on the Blazers' roster, but starting power forward Noah Vonleh has seen an increase in playing time at center in recent weeks.

Portland hosts the Phoenix Suns Saturday night at 7 p.m. at the Moda Center, then leaves for a two-game trip against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Utah Jazz. Five of the Blazers' final seven games are at home and three are against teams with winning records.

The good news? They not only hold a two-game lead over the Nuggets (35-40), but also own the tiebreaker.

It's unclear how Nurkic suffered his injury, but at one point in the second half against the Rockets, team trainers were spotted applying a wrap to his right leg as he sat on the Blazers' bench. So, presumably, he hurt himself during that game.

Joe Freeman | jfreeman@oregonian.com | 503-294-5183 | @BlazerFreeman