Report: Damian Lillard Targeting Wednesday Return to Trail Blazers from Injury

Having missed his team's last five games, Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard is aiming to return for Wednesday's matchup against the Washington Wizards at Moda Center, according to Stadium's Shams Charania.

The Blazers have gone 1-4 without Lillard coming out of the All-Star break. They sit 3.5 games back of the Memphis Grizzlies for the eighth seed in the Western Conference.

The five-time All-Star guard is averaging 29.5 points and 7.9 assists per game while shooting 39.3 percent from three-point range. His value to the team is self-evident in Portland's record since he suffered his groin strain.

According to NBA.com, the Blazers have a 0.9 net rating when Lillard is on the court, and that figure falls to minus-8.8 when he goes to the bench.

Portland would be in a slightly worse position had the Grizzlies not suffered a five-game losing streak following the All-Star break. Memphis snapped the skid Saturday with a 105-88 home win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Blazers are having to compete with the resurgent New Orleans Pelicans, though. 

New Orleans has been a different team with Zion Williamson in the lineup and looks the likeliest candidate to overtake the Grizzlies. 

FiveThirtyEight gives the Pelicans a 67 percent chance of reaching the postseason compared to 9 percent for the Blazers. ESPN.com's Basketball Power Index has a slightly more favorable opinion on Portland's postseason odds (15.5 percent) but still has New Orleans ahead (34.1 percent).

In short, Lillard can't get back soon enough for head coach Terry Stotts' squad.