Lillard confirms rib damage, will not use it as excuse
PORTLAND, Ore. — Path Blazers star Damian Lillard doesn’t need to use his separated rib as an excuse for his struggles within the Western Convention finals.
Lillard confirmed on Sunday that he suffered the damage to his left facet when Golden State Warriors heart Kevon Looney fell on him throughout a scramble for a free ball through the third quarter of Recreation 2. Nevertheless, Lillard downplayed the influence of the damage on his efficiency within the sequence, which Portland trails Three-Zero.
“I do not assume it is one thing that is affecting my recreation,” mentioned Lillard, who’s capturing 32.6 from the ground and has virtually as many turnovers (14) as subject targets (15) within the West finals. “It is there, however it’s not one thing that is affecting something that I am doing. Clearly you are feeling it, however that is it.”
Lillard has not been listed on the official damage report as a result of there was by no means any doubt about his availability. Blazers coach Terry Stotts mentioned he wasn’t conscious of the specifics of Lillard’s damage till postgame reviews Saturday night time.
“I did not actually know a lot about it till it turned public,” Stotts mentioned. “Typically when he has one thing occurring, he form of retains it to himself, so I might say it is not shocking.”
The Blazers’ Damian Lillard suffered a separated rib when the Warriors’ Kevon Looney fell on him throughout a scramble for a free ball through the third quarter of Recreation 2. AP Photograph/Jeff Chiu
Lillard performed with padding on his left facet throughout within the Recreation Three loss, when he scored 19 factors on 5-of-18 capturing. He didn’t take any painkillers as a result of he mentioned they “mess together with your abdomen after the sport.”
Lillard credited the Warriors’ protection for making it tough for him to get in any rhythm as a scorer. Golden State is steadily double-teaming Lillard and blitzing him on pick-and-rolls, making an attempt to pressure the ball out of his fingers, and he acknowledged that he is been hesitant at occasions due to the Warriors’ coverages.
“I am seeing Draymond Inexperienced, and he is behind that form of like monitoring my actions, so it is like a subsequent layer of protection that I am taking note of so whereas like I am not, I assume, eager to explode and get round that man as a result of I see what’s ready for me, after which simply the group, and put myself in a troublesome place,” Lillard mentioned. “It is robust. They’re doing a very good job of their coverages.”