Damian Lillard To Have Surgery for Abdomen Injury

Damian Lillard will undergo surgery to address his abdomen injury. The recovery prognosis is uncertain. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the surgery is not expected to be season-ending, but the length of absence is still to be determined. Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes states that Lillard is expected to undergo surgery on Thursday before being re-evaluated in six-to-eight weeks. Haynes explains that Lillard saw specialists in St. Louis and Philadelphia, who confirmed that surgery was the best option. His article also suggests that other factors may play into Lillard’s return:

Lillard returning to play this season will depend on his health and where the team sits in the standings, sources said.

Lillard has already missed 11 games to the injury this season. It’s suspected that the injury has plagued the point guard for at least four years, including his Olympic campaign last summer.

Last week, the Blazers announced Lillard would not travel with the team during its six-game road trip, which starts against the Denver Nuggets tomorrow.

The 31-year-old point guard is averaging 24.0 points, 7.3 assists, and 4.1 rebounds for the Blazers so far this season in 29 appearances, playing 36.4 minutes per game. He is shooting a career-low 40.2% from the field, 32.4% from the three-point arc.