Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard is out for Game 5 against the Los Angeles Lakers after being diagnosed with a right knee sprain, the team announced.
Lillard underwent a second MRI on Tuesday that confirmed the diagnosis.
The Blazers’ All-NBA superstar surged into the playoffs after being unanimously named the Kia NBA Player of the Seeding Games, an eight-game stretch in which he averaged 37.6 points and 9.6 assists while shooting 43.6% from beyond the 3-point arc.
Since the Blazers’ Game 1 win over the Lakers, however, Portland has faltered under the weight of a rejuvenated L.A. squad and mounting injuries. Recently returned forward Zach Collins was ruled out of the playoffs after a stress fracture was discovered in his ankle. CJ McCollum, meanwhile, has been playing with a fracture in his back.
The Lakers could close out the series with a Game 5 win on Wednesday (9 PM ET).
