Damian Lillard spent the past couple of days on the Portland Trail Blazers injury report for personal reasons, resulting in a questionable designation for their Monday night contest. Whatever personal matters were impacting his availability have resolved, and the six-time All-Star will be in the lineup against the Dallas Mavericks.
Per Scott Brooks, Damian Lillard is available tonight and will start #ripcity
— Travis Demers (@travisdemers) December 28, 2021
Lillard's availability is a welcome addition for a Blazers' squad dealing with a slew of players in health and safety protocols. Five players are unavailable for Portland as they await clearance to return to team activities. That could mean increased usage for Lillard, who already averages 36.6 minutes per game, starting 26 of the Blazers' 32 games this season.
The veteran guard hasn't missed a beat in his 10th season, averaging 23.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 7.5 assists, on par with his career averages.
The Blazers are sliding over their recent stretch, dropping eight of their past 10 games. The betting market at FanDuel Sportsbook likes their chances to halt that skid against the Mavs, installing them as -3 favorites.
