Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard is expected to miss one to two weeks with a strain in his right calf. It has been diagnosed as a grade one strain, per the Blazers.
Lillard has already missed five games because of this same injury in his calf. After returning from the injury on Nov. 7 versus the Phoenix Suns, the six-time All-Star first started experiencing tightness in that calf on Saturday, forcing him to leave during the third quarter of the Blazer’s game versus the Utah Jazz.
“The last time was worse,” Lillard said on his calf, per NBA.com. “When I first strained it, I knew right away. The reason I took myself out is so hopefully, this time, we can get ahead of it instead of me staying out there and putting myself in a worse position.”
In 11 games this season, the 32-year-old is averaging 26.3 points and 7.0 assists per game on 42.2 percent shooting from the field.
Without Lillard this year, the Blazers are 3-2. With him, they are 7-4. Portland has already shown that they can win without their superstar, but doing so again, just like they did in the short time he was out for earlier this season, may not happen again. Nevertheless, this is yet another challenge the Blazers must welcome and attempt to overcome until Lillard returns.
Portland will play the Milwaukee Bucks Monday at 8:00 P.M.
