Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard had a cortisone injection in order to mitigate the pain from his abdominal injury, writes Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Haynes notes that Lillard is scheduled to be re-evaluated Friday and could return as soon as Sunday versus Minnesota.
Lillard has been dealing with the injury for a few years, but the pain had gotten worse prior to the injection, Haynes adds. Cortisone shots are typically short-term solutions, so it’s not clear if the injury will heal with rest or a more invasive procedure might be necessary in the future. Lillard reportedly considered surgery over the offseason to address the injury.
There’s been a lot of turmoil, injuries, and trade speculation out of Portland recently, and Lillard’s performance upon his return could impact potential suitors. He has gotten off to a bit of a slow start this season, averaging 21.5 PPG with a .397 FG% and a .302 3PT% through 20 games (35.7 MPG). That scoring average would be his lowest mark since 2014/15, while the shooting numbers are career worsts.
The trailblazers need to be smart and realistic. You are treading water, move both Lillard and cj.