PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – With only seven games left in the season, the Portland Trail Blazers have decided their All-Star point guard Damian Lillard will be sitting on the sidelines during the remaining match-ups.
According to Chris Haynes, a senior NBA insider for TNT and Bleacher Report, sources say Lillard will be held out for the remainder of the season. Shams Charania, the senior lead NBA insider for The Athletic, reported on Saturday the team was considering shutting down Lillard for the season as he deals with a calf injury.
This is Lillard’s 11th NBA season. He played in 58 games and posted 32.2 points per game, a career-high. That trails only Joel Embiid and Luka Doncic for the most in the league.
Sitting at 32-43 as of March 29th, the Blazers will miss the playoffs for the second season in a row.
The team faces the Sacramento Kings Wednesday night and will be down several starters. In addition to Lillard being out with a calf injury, Jusuf Nurkic is out with an injured knee, Anfernee Simons will sit for an injured foot and Justise Winslow, Ibou Badji, Jerami Grant, and Trendon Watford are also out with injuries.
The Trail Blazers are 1-9 in their last 10 games and only 5-15 in their last 20. The season wraps up Sunday, April 9 with a home game against Golden State.