The good news coming out the Trail Blazers locker room:

Carmelo Anthony’s left knee contusion doesn’t sound too serious.

As the second half of the Blazers and Magic game came to a close, the Blazers have announced that Anthony was questionable to return. The Blazers starting forward did not return and instead received treatment on his left knee during the second half.

Melo played the first eight minutes of the game and then returned for one minute in the second quarter.

After the Trail Blazers defeated the Magic 118-103, Anthony explained that he knocked knees with either Aaron Gordon or Nikila Vucevic in the first quarter. He wasn't sure which big man he had banged knees with early on.

"I just felt it start to tighten up,” Melo said. “I came back in the second quarter on that three I felt it, then trying to get back on D I felt it. Once I felt like I didn’t have the power, it was stiff, I came back to them and said sub me out, I can’t go."

Carmelo Anthony has a left knee contusion and is questionable to return. Melo checked out after this play and didn't return for the rest of the half. You can tell he comes up limping on the leg here.



STREAM HERE:https://t.co/dzCfH15Shm#RipCity pic.twitter.com/KE5qUIjzIv — NBC Sports Northwest (@NBCSNorthwest) December 21, 2019

The veteran forward said everything came back good with the x-rays.

But, a knee contusion is nothing new for the 35-year-old. And since the Blazers had a comfortable lead, Melo felt like he should sit out the rest of the game.

I’ve had it before, done it before, banged knees with somebody. I didn’t want to take the chance with just going out there, we had it rolling, the guys had it rolling, we set the tone early in the game. -- Trail Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony postgame

“It stiffened up, I didn’t really want to take chances with that, just being out there dragging and putting the team in a different and messed up situation, ” Melo added.

In his nine minutes of work, he had five points and six rebounds.

His teammate, Damian Lilllard didn’t seem too concerned about his knee either.

I think if it was serious, I would be able to see the concern in his face. He didn’t seem too concerned. I think the way the game was going tonight, it really didn’t make sense for him to try to play through it and risk making it worse than it was. We had a pretty good lead. He’s been around a long time so he could see how the game felt – it felt like we were in pretty good control. So I thought he made the right decision. – Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard postgame

Anthony also mentioned that he intends to play Saturday when the Blazers host the Minnesota Timberwolves.

He will be evaluated by the training staff in the morning and go from there.