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Damian Lillard may be sidelined for the remainder of the season, but the longtime Portland Trail Blazers star says his recovery from a torn Achilles is progressing exactly as planned.
The seven-time All-NBA guard has embraced a patient approach at age 35, choosing long-term health over a rushed return, and he sounds increasingly confident about what lies ahead.
“It’s going great. I think it’s just one of those injuries where you’ve got to take your time – you know, it takes what it takes,” Lillard said, via The Road Trippin’ Show. “The first couple of weeks to maybe two or three months is kind of frustrating because you’re so limited. But with patience, giving yourself grace, and doing the things necessary to continue progressing, you get to a point where you start to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Rather than pushing to return this season, Lillard made the deliberate choice to sit out the year and focus entirely on his recovery.
With more time behind him now, he feels even better about that decision, especially after watching the growth of Portland’s young core.
“I feel great about it — even better now than I did when I made that decision. Just getting further along and seeing that everything is coming back,” Lillard said. “Now that I’ve gotten to that point, I feel better about the decision to give myself the maximum amount of time. Also, looking at our team and the type of growth that we’ve had, I know if I’m able to do this and come correct, we’ll have a great shot next season.”
While Lillard rehabs, he has remained closely connected to the team, mentoring a roster that has shown real signs of progress.
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