Damian Lillard Exits Clippers Game Due To Stomach Ailment, Status Uncertain

During Monday night's game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Los Angeles Clippers, guard Damian Lillard played only 15 minutes, exiting for good just after halftime. The Trail Blazers announced that Lillard was suffering from a stomach ailment, and would not return. After the game, Lillard said he believed he had food poisoning, and that it appeared just before game time.

"As soon as the game started I just felt dead," he said. "I had no energy and I just felt weak. I tried to play through it just to see if I'd be able to keep myself going. I had never felt like that.

Lillard, who has played in the first 264 games of his career, said that if he still feels this way Tuesday, he would not be able to play against the returning Wesley Matthews and his Dallas Mavericks:

"If I'm good enough to go then I'll play," he said. "But I can't go out there the way I was tonight. I know I can't play like that."

More details via Mike Richman at The Oregonian.

Official video of Lillard's post-game interview here.

Audio is available here, via the Blazers' Casey Holdahl: