Damian Lillard Earnestly Positive After Loss, Injury: Post-Game Roundup

Update 12:25 p.m. Pacific: X-rays on Lillard’s left ankle have come back negative

On December 5, the Portland Trail Blazers owned a 12-10 record. Today, that record is 13-19. Friday night’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs marked the team’s ninth in 10 games—and something more; the Trail Blazers’ disappearance from the top-8 in Western Conference standings. The Sacramento Kings—on a 3-game winning streak—are a full game up. What’s worse, Damian Lillard, the Trail Blazers’ leading scorer, hobbled into Friday night’s sunset with an ankle injury of yet unknown severity. He is determined not to miss time, but questions about the importance of rest are fair at this juncture.

Lillard, kept his composure and remains almost eerily calm in the face of frustration and doubt.

— video via CSN NW

Kerry Eggers of The Portland Tribune writes:

Injury was added to insult for Lillard, who re-sprained his left ankle late in the game, tried to stay in and then, after a few fruitless possessions, called it a night.

Lillard originally rolled the ankle at Golden State last Saturday and aggravated it at Sacramento on Tuesday. This one, he said, "was the worst one of all of them."

Joe Freeman of The Oregonian bemoaned the misfortune:

Damian Lillard lifted himself from the chair in front of his stall in the Portland Trail Blazers' locker room, shook a few hands, said "Merry Christmas" to a few folks and then offered one of the last scenes Rip City wanted to see.

Wearing a black hoodie sweatshirt pulled over his head, Lillard gingerly limped out of the locker room to undergo X-rays on his left ankle and -- eventually -- get fitted for a walking boot.

Yes, things moved from bad to worse Friday for the Blazers. The San Antonio Spurs rolled the Blazers 110-90 at the Moda Center, dealing them their fifth consecutive loss and ninth in the last 10 games. And on top of it all, the Blazers' best player limped away from the wreckage with a badly sprained left ankle.

It may get worse before it gets better, as the Trail Blazers host Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, and the 21-8 Toronto Raptors this coming Monday. On the bright side, Lillard has today and tomorrow to rest, assuming x-rays come back negative and he has a chance to play—which is not a given. Check back for updates on Lillard’s status.

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