Trail Blazers Star Damian Lillard (Calf) Targeting December Return

According to NBA Insider Chris Haynes, Portland Trail Blazers (11-10) star point guard Damian Lillard is targeting a December 4 return against the Indiana Pacers.

Lillard has been sidelined since November 21 due to a calf injury. Portland has gone 1-4 over that stretch, its latest loss being a 118-112 defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday.

Before the injury, the 32-year-old was performing at his usual All-Star level, posting per-game averages of 26.3 points, 7.0 assists, and 4.3 rebounds in 11 appearances.

Anfernee Simons and Jerami Grant have stepped up offensively in Lillard’s absence. Tuesday saw Simons notch 37 points for the second time in his past three games, while Grant has averaged 31.5 PPG over his last four, including a career-high 44 against the New York Knicks on November 25. However, both players will likely experience a drop in production once Lillard is back in the fold. 

Portland is in action Wednesday against the Los Angeles Lakers, where the Blazers are +5.5 road underdogs on the spread and +190 on the moneyline courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.