Kyrie, Klay among 8 injured Mavs out vs. Heat

The Portland Trail Blazers could shut Damian Lillard down if they slide out of the play-in picture over the next week or two. The Blazers enter Friday’s slate of games 2.5 out of 10th with both the Utah Jazz and New Orleans Pelicans ahead of them in 11th and 12th.

“I’ll say this: Dame probably has five or six more games left before Portland probably shuts him down for the season,” said Chris Haynes on the #ThisLeague Uncut Podcast. “There’s no use playing the duration of these games. So look out for that. If these next five, six games, they keep struggling, I will suspect…

“He’s going to be okay with that? He’s been really fighting the notion of playing for draft picks”

“He’s going to have to be okay if they’re not in contention to jump in that play-in. At that point, it’s probably not worth it. That’s why I’m saying these next five, six games, we’ll see if they can make some ground. If they don’t make any ground, I think that’s what’s going to happen. If the results are not that good.”

Lillard has bounced back from his abdominal surgery with an All-NBA caliber season, but the Blazers continue to struggle to build a contender around him.