"We pretty much fallen out of the race for the 10th spot” - Damian Lillard makes bold remark about Portland Trail Blazers’ situation
It's been two years since Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers made the playoffs, and things aren't looking good in 2023. Even with the play-in tournament structure, they might be on the outside looking in come the postseason.
Portland (31-40) was one of the many teams fighting for one of the final playoff spots, but their recent stretch has damanged their chances. They are 2-8 over their last 10 games and are riding a six-game losing streak.
The Blazers were within striking distance, but now sit three-and-a-half games out of 10th place, the last position to make the play-in tournament. With their playoff chances diminishing, there's been talk of Damian Lillard possibly getting shut down for the rest of the season.
Lillard recently gave his thoughts on the team's current outlook, and they weren't positive. He, like most people around the NBA, feels they have fallen out of contention for the final spot in the play-in tournament.
"We pretty much fallen out of the race for the 10th spot. … I love to play, I love the competition and I haven't been ready to give that up," Lillard said "But it does come a point in time when do you stop putting your competitive nature out front."
"We pretty much fallen out of the race for the 10th spot… I love to play, I love the competition and I haven't been ready to give that up. But it does come a point in time when do you stop putting your competitive nature out front."
- Damian Lillard 😯 https://t.co/N0J3jGsGzU
Could Damian Lillard change his mind after missing the postseason for a third straight year?
When discussing stars on the move in the NBA, Lillard has commonly been one of the first names brought up. Despite his incredible loyalty to the Portland Trail Blazers, many want to see him in a new situation where he can compete for a title.
At 32 years old, Damian Lillard only has a handful of years left at his peak. He has proven this year that he can still compete at the highest level. He is averaging 32.2 points and 7.2 assists, recently erupting for 71 points in one game.
The Trail Blazers have tried to put a competitive team around him, but they haven't been able to climb the ranks in the Western Conference. As they are on track to miss the playoffs again, speculation could start to arise of Lillard having a change of heart.
It's very clear that Lillard will do whatever it takes to win in Portland, but that dream doesn't seem realistic. The teams around them are making big splashes as they continue to work in the margins. He might not like it, but trading him and starting over might be the best move for the organization.