Damian Lillard Replaces Blake Griffin for 2015 NBA All-Star Game

Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard wasn't too pleased when he was initially snubbed as an NBA All-Star. Now, he will be a part of the Western Conference squad after all.     

Bleacher Report's Howard Beck reported on Sunday that Lillard will replace injured Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin on the West roster.    

The Clippers' official Twitter account announced the specifics of Griffin's injury and his timetable to return:

Lillard was vocal and frank about being left out of the All-Star equation after the initial vote when speaking with reporters on Jan. 30, via The Oregonian's Joe Freeman:

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I'm definitely going to take it personal. I said I'd be pissed off about it. And I am. I just felt disrespected. Because I play the game the right way, I play unselfishly, I play for my team to win games and I produce at a high level. I think what I bring to the game as a person, my makeup mentally, how I am toward my teammates, how I am toward the media, how I am toward fans; I think what an All-Star represents in this league, and what you would want people to look at as an All-Star, I think I make up all those things.

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It's hard to argue with Lillard's points. CNN's Rachel Nichols added that Lillard was still stewing prior to the latest news:

The Association is filled with talent and depth at the point guard position, and Portland doesn't attract quite the same nationwide fanfare as some of the bigger markets. That had to contribute at least in part to Lillard's prior absence from the roster.

Trail Blazers PR brought up an interesting anecdote after the NBA named Lillard to the roster:

Lillard's raw numbers back up his case as a second-time selection. The 24-year-old has taken another promising step forward in his third NBA season, stuffing the stat sheet with averages of 21.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.5 steals per contest.

A combination of exceptional outside shooting and penetrating ability makes Lillard a dynamic, versatile scorer who will be fun to watch in the All-Star contest at Madison Square Garden next Sunday.

Per NBA.com, Lillard's player impact estimate ranks seventh among full-time starting point guards who have played the majority of the 2014-15 season. That's even with the frequent touches Blazers big man LaMarcus Aldridge gets in face-up and isolation situations, which accentuates how much Lillard does as an individual.

Among a bunch of the best players on the planet, this All-Star bid may offer a chance for Lillard to outplay more celebrated NBA stars and fortify the perception that he's among the league's elite.

It will also be interesting to see how Lillard approaches the game given how fired up he was for being excluded.