Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard has a right knee sprain and is recorded as out for Game 5 of Portland’s first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Blazers said Tuesday that the consequences of a second MRI affirmed the injury, which Lillard supported in the second from last quarter of Monday’s 135-115 misfortune to the Lakers in Game 4.
Lillard went through an initial MRI after the game, however the team said the outcomes were uncertain. Lillard scored only 11 points Monday on 3-of-9 shooting in 27 minutes. He seemed to harm the knee on a drive to the hoop on which he planted his right foot.
The Lakers have a 3-1 lead and can finish off the series Wednesday in Game 5. Lillard was likewise playing through a disengaged left index finger that he endured in Game 2.
Prior to the wounds, Lillard was the consistent champ of the MVP award during the seeding games part of the restarted season, the eight-game stretch that got the Blazers into the play-in round against the Memphis Grizzlies. He’s averaged 30.5 points per game inside the Disney bubble since the season restarted July 30, that average second in the league just behind Houston’s James Harden, who’s averaging 33 points per challenge.
It was business as usual in Game 1 for Lillard, who dropped 34 points and led Portland to an agitated triumph over the top-seeded Lakers.
Without Lillard, the Blazers will hope to feature more CJ McCollum – who is playing through a non-dislodged break in his back – just as second-year monitor Anfernee Simons.
“We all know in the room that we’re down 3-1 to a good team,” coach Terry Stotts said. “We know the challenge in front of us, but I think we all have a belief in what we’re able to do. Obviously we weren’t doing somersaults this morning. We got beat badly and we have a lot of pride and I think we’re looking for an opportunity to redeem ourselves tomorrow.”
Lillard willed the Blazers into the postseason with one astonishing performance after another. Portland won its last three seeding games by an aggregate of seven points; Lillard had 51, 61 and 42 points, respectively, in those games.
Lillard has been entirely tough during his eight NBA seasons, every one of them accompanying the Blazers. They’ve played 703 regular-season and playoff games since he was drafted; he’s showed up in 670 of them, or 95.3%, and began his career by playing in 286 consecutive Portland challenges, including playoff matchups.
