Damian Lillard Exits Blazers vs. Heat with Calf Injury

The Portland Trail Blazers announced star Damian Lillard was ruled out for the remainder of Wednesday's game against the Miami Heat with a right calf strain.

Prior to his injury, he scored 22 points, dished out two assists and pulled down a pair of rebounds in 26 minutes.

Lillard's last game of the 2021-22 season came in Portland's 139-106 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 31. The Blazers announced on Jan. 13 that he had undergone surgery for a core muscle injury.

Although the franchise wasn't totally rebuilding, it had little incentive to rush Lillard back as it barreled toward a 27-55 finish.

The Trail Blazers made it clear this offseason that they want to continue to build a contender around the six-time All-Star. They signed him to a two-year, $121.8 million extension and added Jerami Grant and Gary Payton II to the squad.

Despite attempts to improve the roster, Portland is far from a lock to secure a top-six finish in the Western Conference. Simply qualifying for the play-in tournament could be a challenge given how much the teams in the middle of the West have improved.

Since a small handful of games could be the difference between sixth and seventh and also 10th and 11th, losing Lillard for any stretch will be a difficult blow for the Blazers.