From Paul Kasabian of Bleacher Report :
Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillardwill miss Sunday’s scrimmage against the Toronto Raptors.
According to ESPN’s Rachel Nichols, an X-ray on Lillard’s foot came back negative, but he’s suffering from inflammation that will keep him out of the lineup.
Lillard, 30, is averaging a career-best 28.9 points per game for the 29-37 Blazers, who were one of 22 teams invited to Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, to complete the 2019-20 season. The campaign has been suspended since March 11 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The point guard out of Weber State has been phenomenal, once averaging 48.8 points per game over a six-matchup stretch from Jan. 20 through Feb. 1. He’s been efficient from the field as well, shooting a career-high 45.7 percent overall and matching his personal best number from three-point range (39.4 percent).
Lillard hasn’t missed much court time because of injuries during his career, and he notably started and played in all games during his first three seasons. He has never been sidelined for more than nine games in a year.
The five-time All-Star missed two games in Nov. 2019 with back spasms and six more in mid-to-late February and early March with a right groin strain. That injury also forced Lillard to sit the NBA‘s three-point contest and All-Star Game.
Portland’s priority is obviously having Lillard healthy for the start of its eight seeding games. The team trails the Memphis Grizzlies by 3.5 games for the eighth seed in the Western Conference.
