Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons needs thumb surgery and will miss four to six weeks, the team announced Friday.

Simons injured his right thumb during Wednesday's season-opening loss to the Clippers in Los Angeles. According to the team, an MRI revealed a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in the thumb.

Simons, who had 18 points in the opener, was expected to help carry the offensive load in the Portland backcourt with Damian Lillard now in Milwaukee. The 24-year-old averaged 21.1 points last season.

"Ant's the kind of player that he's gained a type of respect where whether he's making shots or not, you have to play him a certain way," Portland coach Chauncey Billups said. "You game plan for him. We'll miss that. We'll miss, obviously, his shot making and his play making. You miss those things.

"He's one of our veterans in the backcourt, so now we become really young back there. We'll miss his presence, we'll miss his leadership, too."

Shaedon Sharpe started in Simons' place against the Orlando Magic on Friday night, scoring 24 points in the 102-97 loss.