Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard is gassed
Chris Phillips
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What to do?
With everything that I just laid out here, the next question is, what do the Portland Trail Blazers do?
The reality is Lillard is gassed. Stotts has to rest Dame when and where he can. If the Blazers are blowing out or getting blown out, pull him from the game. Sprinkle those moments with at least a game or two of him as a DNP, preferably against some bottom-dwelling teams (for example, Charlotte, Cleveland, and Houston).
This strategy also forces the rest of the team to step up. Because right now, the Blazers lack a capable bench to help alleviate some of the burdens currently on Damian’s shoulders.
The Trail Blazers bench has to prove they can get the job done when Damian isn’t there to bail them out. There are enough veterans on the squad that they should be able to handle this task.
Unfortunately, history already tells us the answer to this question. Even if Lillard is exhausted, Stotts will continue to do the same old same old. Play Dame in every game and have him log heavy minutes to get victories. That strategy is flirting with disaster. If Lillard goes down, the Blazers season goes down with him.
Portland needs victories to stay out of the play-in games. Moreover, they also need a rested Damian Lillard if they want to make a deep playoff run. A fully healthy and fresh Portland Trail Blazers team can be scary in the playoffs.
Do you think the Portland Trail Blazers need to give Damian Lillard more rest over the next month? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.