“Can somebody get my man Dame Dolla a get out jail free card, because he’s locked up” - Kendrick Perkins wants Damian Lillard to leave the Portland Trail Blazers
It's been a disastrous run for Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers this season. They are currently ranked in 11th position in the NBA Western Conference, with a 13-19 record in 32 games played.
The Blazers finished the 2020-21 season in 6th place in the Western Conference with a 42-30 record. Damian Lillard was phenomenal as he led the team to the Playoffs but was eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference first round.
Their ecstatic performances in the previous season had them billed as one of the teams to watch out for in the 2021-22 NBA season. The reverse seems to be the case as they struggle to gain any sort of consistency.
Kendrick Perkins ranked the Blazers as the 4th-worst team in the NBA on his top 5 most "naughty" NBA teams. He appealed for Damian Lillard to be allowed to leave, stating that he is tied down and setup to fail with the Blazers.
“Can somebody get my man Dame Dolla a get out jail free card, because he’s locked up and they won't let him out. Dame is set up for failure. Get my man some help or get him out of there. Portland right now is a complete embarrassment," Perkins said.
How has Damian Lillard fared in the 2021-22 NBA season?
Damian Lillard has appeared in 26 games for the Portland Trail Blazers, 12 of which have been won and 14 ended in losses. He has recorded 8 double-doubles, averaging 23.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game.
His best outing of the season thus far came against the Charlotte Hornets. In the game, he recorded 43 points, made 4 rebounds, and completed 8 assists in 37 minutes of game time.
38.0 PPG
6.7 APG
54.8% from the field
48.4% from 3
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He netted 12 out of 19 field goal attempts, recording a shooting accuracy of 63.2%, while posting a three-point percentage of 54.5, 6 out of 11 three-pointer attempts. Damian Lillard also put up an almost perfect record from the charity stripe, sinking 13 of 14 free throws.
His worst outing of the season came against the Indiana Pacers. Dame recorded only 4 points in 37 minutes of game play. He attempted 13 shots from the field but only netted twice, while making no entry in 6 three pointer attempts. However, he completed 4 rebounds, 11 assists, one steal and a block each.