Damian Lillard was not great during the Blazers' potentially fatal Game 3 loss to the Warriors, shooting 5-of-18. There may be a physical reason. Shams Charania reported that Lillard has been playing with separated ribs through the series.
According to NBA.com, Lillard looks to have been hurt in Game 2, when Warriors center Kevon Looney fell on top of Lillard during a loose-ball scramble.
Tim MacMahon also reported the injury, tweeting, “A source confirmed that Damian Lillard has a separated rib but downplayed the impact of the injury on his performance. ‘Not a story, he always plays through injuries.’”
Lillard has underperformed during the entire series, shooting 32.6 percent from the floor while carrying out a series-high 4.7 turnovers per game. Though Golden State’s defense has weakened the point guard, it seems that his injury might also be impacting his game.
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