Damian Lillard Says Proposed Play-In Tournament for Playoffs 'Perfect'
Portland Trail Blazers All-Star point guard Damian Lillard is all for the NBA considering a play-in tournament that would allow the Blazers, who are 3.5 games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the final Western Conference playoff spot, and others to compete for a spot in the league's altered playoffs.
"I feel like a play-in tournament would be perfect, just because we actually were in striking distance and also had enough games to get in the playoffs," Lillard said on ESPN's Jalen & Jacoby on Wednesday (h/t ESPN's Nick Friedell).
The 29-year-old later added:
"But to that point, if they did decide that we're just gonna go straight to the playoffs, obviously we would all be disappointed. ... We haven't performed to be in that top eight. So if that's the case, then fine. But if we're gonna just come back to play games, I feel like that'd be harder on everybody else."
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne reported on the potential format earlier Wednesday:
"There is a playoffs-plus idea that includes 20 to 24 teams, with the NBA including more teams from the Western Conference than the Eastern Conference, sources said. The NBA is considering play-in possibilities with teams like New Orleans, Portland, San Antonio and Sacramento vying for the postseason, sources said."
Lillard voiced his opinion on the NBA resuming its 2019-20 season earlier this week:
The league shut down in mid-March in response to public health and safety concerns amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Several updates were provided about the NBA's continued negotiations toward a return-to-play plan:
Michele Roberts, the executive director of the National Basketball Players Association, has been "conducting team-by-team conference calls with players":
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is scheduled to meet with the Board of Governors on Friday, but a conclusion does not appear imminent:
Prior to the season's suspension, the 53-12 Milwaukee Bucks, 46-18 Toronto Raptors, 43-21 Boston Celtics and 49-14 Los Angeles Lakers were the only teams that had clinched a playoff berth.
