Blazers To Decide On Sitting Lillard, Surgery Soon?

[Chris Craig]

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/portla...nal-injury-continues-to-linger-051653517.html

"Damian Lillard’s abdominal injury isn’t getting any better — and the Portland Trail Blazers are getting ready to make a decision.

Lillard will miss his second straight game Wednesday night against the Miami Heat with his recurring abdominal injury, something that has kept him out of eight games this season and has been bothering him since playing in the Olympics.

Though Portland coach Chauncey Billups said Tuesday that the Trail Blazers don’t have a timetable for Lillard’s return, he said they’ll figure out how best to deal with the injury, whether via an extended absence or surgery.

“I think what we’re gonna do is just kind of meet, put all our heads together here soon and then talk through some of those things,” Billups said, via The Oregonian. “I think that’s probably gonna be the route that we go if he doesn’t get some kind of relief there. Because I can only imagine how frustrated he is. We all know that this dude wants to play every game and play every minute of every game.”

Lillard has averaged 24 points per contest in 29 games this season, his lowest output since the 2014-15 campaign. He’s also shooting a career-low 40% from the field and 32.4% from the 3-point line.

Lillard missed his first game of the season in November, and then missed five straight in early December before he received a cortisone injection to help with the pain. Lillard returned for Portland’s next nine games before missing Monday’s 136-131 win against the Atlanta Hawks.

Without him, the Trail Blazers are 2-7. They’ve also lost 14 of their last 18 games and four of their last five headed into Wednesday night."

 

[TBpup]

"Lillard has averaged 24 points per contest in 29 games this season, his lowest output since the 2014-15 campaign. He’s also shooting a career-low 40% from the field and 32.4% from the 3-point line."

To be fair to whomever might write, post, or comment about it, that sounds like a bit of a regression....for whatever reason. I hope he does shut it down so he can allow himself to get back to a full 100%. HIs competitive nature which we all love, won't let him take the time off, but it is needed in the bigger picture.

 

[HailBlazers]

Timing couldn't be better to shut him down.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

This should not even be a conversation. Shut him down this year.

 

[Haakzilla]

Shut him down harder than the Pelicans sweep and pray that MeJ comes back healthy enough to give his value a little boost again before the deadline. The rest will follow...

 

[Blazinaway]

Timing couldn't be better to shut him down.

Yep PRIORITY ONE is a HEALTHY Dame! Whether surgery or an extended rest of season rest we need to address that NOW! Once that decision is made we can go about redoing the roster via trades etc

 

[Natebishop3]

Time for the young guys to shine!

 

[illmatic99]

Can we add a poll?

 

[e_blazer]

"Lillard has averaged 24 points per contest in 29 games this season, his lowest output since the 2014-15 campaign. He’s also shooting a career-low 40% from the field and 32.4% from the 3-point line."

To be fair to whomever might write, post, or comment about it, that sounds like a bit of a regression....for whatever reason. I hope he does shut it down so he can allow himself to get back to a full 100%. HIs competitive nature which we all love, won't let him take the time off, but it is needed in the bigger picture.

Regression? Let’s just be really clear that the fall-off in his numbers relates to his injury and, perhaps early on, to getting acclimated to Billups’ new system. His 32 points per game in the 7 games after his return from the injection and before the Laker game say that there is zero reason to believe that a Dame who is fully recovered from this injury is going to be anything less than his All-NBA self.

 

[wizenheimer]

Regression? Let’s just be really clear that the fall-off in his numbers relates to his injury and, perhaps early on, to getting acclimated to Billups’ new system. His 32 points per game in the 7 games after his return from the injection and before the Laker game say that there is zero reason to believe that a Dame who is fully recovered from this injury is going to be anything less than his All-NBA self.

there are posters here who have been getting louder and louder in trashing Dame and calling for him to be traded. It's essential that they can argue he has "regressed' and is over the hill in order to justify that position. They will say it over and over and over until and unless Dame returns to form

 

[THE HCP]

Can we add a poll?

Why, is your sister in town!? #BAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMM!!!!!!

 

[e_blazer]

there are posters here who have been getting louder and louder in trashing Dame and calling for him to be traded. It's essential that they can argue he has "regressed' and is over the hill in order to justify that position. They will say it over and over and over until and unless Dame returns to form

Oh, I’m aware of the motivation. Just applying a little pushback to it.

 

[SlyPokerCat]

there are posters here who have been getting louder and louder in trashing Dame and calling for him to be traded. It's essential that they can argue he has "regressed' and is over the hill in order to justify that position. They will say it over and over and over until and unless Dame returns to form

Many of us aren't trashing Dame. We just realize he is getting older, and we have little faith we can put pieces around him to make a contender. Many of us want to keep Dame. But if it means keeping Dame and continuing on as a first round and out team, it becomes time to trade him for assets.

Right now our only hope of putting a contender around Dame is keeping a high lotto pick and using that to bring in more help through trade.

 

[e_blazer]

Many of us aren't trashing Dame. We just realize he is getting older, and we have little faith we can put pieces around him to make a contender. Many of us want to keep Dame. But if it means keeping Dame and continuing on as a first round and out team, it becomes time to trade him for assets.

Right now our only hope of putting a contender around Dame is keeping a high lotto pick and using that to bring in more help through trade.

I certainly understand that thought process. Where I get off the bus is the idea of trading Dame for draft picks and young players without giving the quick rebuild by next fall a chance.

If Dame really is going to be fighting this abdominal injury throughout the rest of the season and needs surgery before next, then it would be stupid to not shut him down. I'm all in on whatever is needed to put an All-Star caliber player or two next to him by next fall. If the Blazers and Dame choose that route, then there's a question of what to do with CJ the rest of the year. Trading him before the deadline for Simmons or another potential star could screw up the tank-athon. I'd favor sitting CJ the rest of the year and making the moves over the summer, but I'm not sure that's feasible. If CJ is fully recovered, he's not going to want to sit.

 

[SlyPokerCat]

I certainly understand that thought process. Where I get off the bus is the idea of trading Dame for draft picks and young players without giving the quick rebuild by next fall a chance.

If Dame really is going to be fighting this abdominal injury throughout the rest of the season and needs surgery before next, then it would be stupid to not shut him down. I'm all in on whatever is needed to put an All-Star caliber player or two next to him by next fall. If the Blazers and Dame choose that route, then there's a question of what to do with CJ the rest of the year. Trading him before the deadline for Simmons or another potential star could screw up the tank-athon. I'd favor sitting CJ the rest of the year and making the moves over the summer, but I'm not sure that's feasible. If CJ is fully recovered, he's not going to want to sit.

I'm completely on board with getting our high lotto pick and using it this offseason to retool. I would rather we keep Dame and be able to get him a competitive team. I just have low faith we can pull it off. If we can't, trade him to acquire assets for a rebuild.

 

[wizenheimer]

Many of us aren't trashing Dame. We just realize he is getting older, and we have little faith we can put pieces around him to make a contender. Many of us want to keep Dame. But if it means keeping Dame and continuing on as a first round and out team, it becomes time to trade him for assets.

Right now our only hope of putting a contender around Dame is keeping a high lotto pick and using that to bring in more help through trade.

I get that....I actually agree with most of it

but that's not all that is going on in this forum

 

[illmatic99]

https://www.nba.com/blazers/lillard-undergo-further-evaluation-and-consultation-abdominal-injury

LILLARD TO UNDERGO FURTHER EVALUATION AND CONSULTATION ON ABDOMINAL INJURY
PORTLAND GUARD WILL BE REEVALUATED NEXT WEEK
Posted: Jan 05, 2022

PORTLAND, Ore. (January 5, 2022) – Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard will undergo further evaluation and consultation concerning his lower abdominal tendinopathy, the team announced today.

Lillard will miss Portland's next three games against Miami (Jan. 5), Cleveland (Jan. 7) and Sacramento (Jan. 9). He will be reevaluated next week.

Further updates will be provided as appropriate.

In 29 games (all starts) this season, Lillard has averaged 24.0 points (40.2% FG, 32.4% 3-PT, 89.3% FT), 4.1 rebounds and 7.3 assists in 36.4 minutes per game. Among NBA leaders, he ranks 11th in scoring, 10th in assists and 16th in free throw percentage.

 

[THE HCP]

Good! Sit that dude. It was unnecessary to see him out there with a glorified summer league team putting his ass on the line the way he was. Not worth it.

 

[GDiama]

What do they want to evaluate? It's obvious there is a big issue. Resting here and there is not enough. Especially when they play him 40 minutes when he is available.
Even worse than losing on purpose is shortening Dame's career on purpose.

 

[handiman]

Dame doesn't have the stomach for losing. Or does he? Now I'm confused.

 

[illmatic99]

What do they want to evaluate? It's obvious there is a big issue. Resting here and there is not enough. Especially when they play him 40 minutes when he is available.
Even worse than losing on purpose is shortening Dame's career on purpose.

i think this is just their way of saying he's consulting more specialists.

 

[riverman]

Dame should get fixed and rehab.....this season is a wash anyway but I for one will not hold my breath that a lottery pick will be the answer to our troubles...we need proven two way players around Dame next season and snipers....I say play and let it enfold organically....don't believe in intentionally tanking but do believe it's an opportunity to find bench players with a future ...at the rate we're going we'll more than likely get a good pick but losing intentionally is not something a team should ever do in my view.

 

[SlyPokerCat]

Dame should get fixed and rehab.....this season is a wash anyway but I for one will not hold my breath that a lottery pick will be the answer to our troubles...we need proven two way players around Dame next season and snipers....I say play and let it enfold organically....don't believe in intentionally tanking but do believe it's an opportunity to find bench players with a future ...at the rate we're going we'll more than likely get a good pick but losing intentionally is not something a team should ever do in my view.

The lottery pick is an asset to use to trade for players that can help. So we can get Dame another star. If we keep Dame i don't want to use it and keep a rookie.

 

[Shaboid]

 

[e_blazer]

The lottery pick is an asset to use to trade for players that can help. So we can get Dame another star. If we keep Dame i don't want to use it and keep a rookie.

I agree with this in general. If it’s a top-3 pick, you might have to consider that pretty carefully.

 

[blazerkor]

What do they want to evaluate? It's obvious there is a big issue. Resting here and there is not enough. Especially when they play him 40 minutes when he is available.
Even worse than losing on purpose is shortening Dame's career on purpose.

Well, I think they're going to look at their options as far as if they want to do rest, treatment and therapy, just rest and treatment and then after a while therapy, or if surgery is an option. I haven't seen a surgical option for tendinopathy but there may be a tear that wasn't reported, which could definitely be remedied with surgery. There's also the possibility that there is a specialist out there with a new procedure.

It is obvious that there is a big issue and I think the team and Dame are now taking it seriously and looking at all options because they tried a cortisone shot and like 12 days of rest and therapy; that obviously didn't work and only gave them five games of Dame being Dame. So they are evaluating and more importantly getting further consultation in order to figure out how to fix this once and for all, if that's an option or to figure out how to get Dame to heal and prevent future flareups.

 

[illmatic99]

I agree with this in general. If it’s a top-3 pick, you might have to consider that pretty carefully.

we should not be trading away lottery picks. general rules of thumb in team building

 

[SlyPokerCat]

we should not be trading away lottery picks.

Then trade Dame. If you want a young lotto pick to stay, start the rebuild.

 

[illmatic99]

Then trade Dame. If you want a young lotto pick to stay, start the rebuild.

we gonna try to act like Phoenix didn't just go to the finals with a 37 yr old chris paul and a 22 yr old deandre ayton? our goal needs to be to find a star the caliber of devin booker (top 2o player on a good day) for some combination of CJ/Nurk/pieces. i love how stuff is so black and white with you. there are plenty of templates for winning teams with one aging superstar and a young player.

 

[SlyPokerCat]

we gonna try to act like Phoenix didn't just go to the finals with a 37 yr old chris paul and a 22 yr old deandre ayton? our goal needs to be to find a star the caliber of devin booker (top 2o player on a good day) for some combination of CJ/Nurk/pieces. i love how stuff is so black and white with you.

They acquired CP3 after drafting Booker and Ayton. They already were becoming good players without him.

I doubt Dame wants to stick around for a rookie to progress. Furthermore, if we draft someone that sucks, we are only continuing to kill Dame's trade value the older he gets.

We aren't getting a star for CJ, Nurk and whatever pieces you are talking about.