Injured guard Damian Lillard has predicted that his Portland Trail Blazers will beat the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the ongoing NBA playoffs.
Ahead of Friday night’s Spurs vs Blazers Game 3, Lillard wrote “Blazers in 6.” on his IG while sharing a picture of him and All-Star wing Deni Avdija.
The “Blazers in 6” line was also likely a reference to Lillard accurately predicting the result of the Trail Blazers vs. Houston Rockets first-round series in 2014, when Lillard hit an iconic buzzer-beater in Game 6 to seal the deal. He would use the same catchphrase before the 2017 first-round series against the Golden State Warriors.
Damian Lillard Return Update
Lillard’s comments amid reports that he could potentially suit up in the ongoing playoffs for the first time since he tore his Achilles last April.
According to Oregon Live’s Bill Oram, the Blazers have not closed the door on a Damian Lillard return — especially if they can upset the Spurs in the first round.
“However implausible it may seem, the franchise has not completely ruled out the possibility that Lillard could make a surprise appearance in the postseason this year, multiple sources said,” Oram reported on Thursday.
“Obviously, the longer its run lasts, the more realistic such a long-shot scenario becomes. “I wouldn’t rule anything out,” a source said, “or get too excited about anything.”
Spurs vs Blazers Game 4
Oram’s report noted that Lillard hasn’t begun a serious ramp-up to get into game shape, nor has he scrimmaged with the Blazers. However, the 9-time All-Star has routinely shared photos of himself getting up shots in the Blazers gym.
“A source said Lillard is “close” and that his return before the end of the postseason is “not impossible.” Any appearance would need to be in a later round or “deep, deep” in the series against the Spurs,” Oram wrote,
“At a minimum, the team is being open-minded about the possibility.”
The Blazers tied up the series 1-1 with an impressive 106-103 win over the Spurs in Game 2, even though their victory was overshadowed by Victor Wembanyama exiting in the second quarter with a concussion. While Wemby has traveled to Portland for Games 3 and 4, the Frenchman is reportedly unlikely to play both games.
ESPN’s Michael C. Wright believes the Blazers have a realistic shot at taking a 2-1 lead if Wemby misses Game 3.
“The Wembanyama injury changes the dynamic, especially for San Antonio’s overall team defense, and provides a sliver of hope for a scrappy Portland squad that has hung tough despite being outmanned in terms of overall talent,” Wright wrote.
The Blazers enter Friday’s Game 3 as +3.5-point underdogs despite the uncertainty surrounding Wemby’s status.
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