Yahoo Lifestyle Terry Stotts on Damian Lillard's status vs. Lakers: 'He'll play'
Thursday was not a great day for the Portland Trail Blazers.
They fell off the high of their Game 1 win in a blowout Game 2 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. They lost All-NBA guard and bubble MVP Damian Lillard in the process.
Lillard insisted after Thursday’s game that he’ll play Game 3 on Saturday after suffering a dislocated left index finger. Head coach Terry Stotts took a wait-and-see approach.
Lillard likely to play with splint
Stotts got on the same page as his star guard on Friday, telling reporters that Lillard will be in Saturday’s lineup.
“He’s been getting multiple treatments throughout the day,” Stotts told reporters. “I believe he’ll wear a splint. ... He’ll play.”
Will splint limit Lillard?
It’s obviously good news for the Blazers as they look to continue their thrill-ride through the NBA bubble. Thursday’s 111-88 loss was not an unexpected letdown after an intense stretch of basketball that saw the Blazers playing for their season in virtually every game since bubble play began
The intensity that marked their bubble existence was not present as the top-seeded Lakers looked like the heavy favorites that they are against the No. 8 seed Blazers.
For Portland to have any chance of regaining the edge that’s carried them through the bubble, they’ll need their bubble MVP guard in the lineup.
The good news for Lillard is that the injury’s on his off-hand. How much the splint and the injury will affect his release and his handle won’t be known until Saturday.
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