NBA Injury Report Week 18 (18th Feb): Damian Lillard out with groin injury, DeMarcus Cousins could return for the playoffs and more
With All-Star Weekend in the books, the 2019-20 regular season is now heading towards an exciting conclusion. With a third of the season left to play, there are still playoff spots up for grabs in both conferences and several teams are jostling to secure homecourt advantage for the playoffs.
Many teams are missing important players due to injuries, and here we will take a look at the latest injury report heading into Week 18 of the 2019-20 NBA season.
#1 Damian Lillard - Groin - Out for up to 10 days
Damian Lillard missed the All-Star Game in Chicago after picking up a groin injury during Portland's loss to Memphis last Wednesday. An MRI scan confirmed that Lillard has suffered a groin strain, and Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports is reporting that the point guard could miss the next 10 days.
#2 DeMarcus Cousins - Knee - Could return for the playoffs
DeMarcus Cousins has yet to make his debut for the Los Angeles Lakers after suffering a torn ACL last summer. Nevertheless, the former All-Star has increased his on-court activities over the past month, and head coach Frank Vogel believes that the 29-year-old could feature during the postseason.
#3 Deandre Ayton - Ankle - Questionable for Friday
Deandre Ayton didn't feature in the Rising Stars Game after missing Phoenix's last two contests due to left ankle soreness. The Suns have yet to offer an update on Ayton's condition, and while his injury isn't believed to be serious, he remains a doubt for Friday's game against the Toronto Raptors.