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Dame wont play 'Meaningless' games


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https://sports.yahoo.com/damian-lillard-doesnt-plan-to-participate-in-resumed-nba-season-if-blazers-dont-have-true-opportunity-to-make-playoffs-144736029.html?soc_src=community&soc_trk=tw

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"If we come back and they're just like, 'We're adding a few games to finish the regular season,' and they're throwing us out there for meaningless games and we don't have a true opportunity to get into the playoffs, I'm going to be with my team because I'm a part of the team. But I'm not going to be participating. I'm telling you that right now. And you can put that in there," Lillard told Yahoo Sports on Tuesday morning via phone.

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"If we come back and I don't have an opportunity to make the playoffs, I will show up to work, I'll be at practice and I'll be with my team. I'm going to do all that and then I'm going to be sitting right on that bench during the games," Lillard told Yahoo Sports. "If they come back and say it's something like a tournament, play-in style, between the No. 7 and No. 12 seeds, if we're playing for playoff spots, then I think that's perfect."

 

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I honestly don't blame him, but I don't know where the NBA could start to give teams a chance. The league had about 20 more games in the regular season. Once when you give teams time to get caught up & tested, 20 games + playoffs would run into August-September? Then preseason would start back in October. That's tough. They may have to jump straight into playoffs. 

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7 minutes ago, seminoles1 said:

So does Lillard think teams should stop playing once they're eliminated from the playoffs going forward?

I mean why are you acting like teams don't sit their players deep in the season when they are out of the playoff hunt? I definitely don't want to see Steph return after this long hiatus. Dudes are going to be out of playing action for 3.5-4 months and are expected to work themselves back in game shape to play three-five games? For what? It is one thing if they were going to play 15-20 games, but we are talking about three-five games after having that big break. Increases risk of injury and the team has no shot at making the playoffs. And it's not like you can come back and develop good rhythm with some new players that you will be relying on next season. Any star player that is playing for a team that is out of the playoffs needs to sit out like Lillard. Get ready for next season. 

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2 hours ago, champ11 said:

it makes very little sense to make lottery teams play imo

Honestly, it really doesn't. But if teams only get the full amount of TV money with 70 games, then the league has no choice. If not? Then yeah, only invite the 16 playoff teams, give them three to five games to get in rhythm against each other and then start the playoffs. 

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9 hours ago, J-ALL-DAY said:

I mean why are you acting like teams don't sit their players deep in the season when they are out of the playoff hunt? I definitely don't want to see Steph return after this long hiatus. Dudes are going to be out of playing action for 3.5-4 months and are expected to work themselves back in game shape to play three-five games? For what? It is one thing if they were going to play 15-20 games, but we are talking about three-five games after having that big break. Increases risk of injury and the team has no shot at making the playoffs. And it's not like you can come back and develop good rhythm with some new players that you will be relying on next season. Any star player that is playing for a team that is out of the playoffs needs to sit out like Lillard. Get ready for next season. 

Agreed.

 

Now I think Seminoles is getting at the fact that every year there are a few teams that will be eliminated with several games to go, and does Dame just think good players should refuse to play whenever that point is reached? Well honestly, I'm sure FOs would love that. Keep their good players fresh AND get a better draft pick, but it will never catch on because players would hurt their resume (think all-NBA, all-defensive teams, all time stat leader boards) if they start missing chunks of games at the end of a season. 

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7 hours ago, RandyMossIsBoss said:

Agreed.

Now I think Seminoles is getting at the fact that every year there are a few teams that will be eliminated with several games to go, and does Dame just think good players should refuse to play whenever that point is reached? Well honestly, I'm sure FOs would love that. Keep their good players fresh AND get a better draft pick, but it will never catch on because players would hurt their resume (think all-NBA, all-defensive teams, all time stat leader boards) if they start missing chunks of games at the end of a season. 

Dame isn't talking about other players. But with the pandemic and being out for so long, it is a risk trying to work yourself back in basketball shape to play in only a few games. Even without the pandemic, this is what happens damn near every year. Look at LeBron and AD last season. Got shut down end of the season (AD different circumstances), Luka sat out four of the last six games, Booker missed the last three games, Conley missed the last six games of the season....You get my point.

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6 minutes ago, champ11 said:

i cant believe my squad lost to this bum *** lottery team in the playoffs. im still sick 

Lost some respect for the Nuggets after that series loss, especially after seeing the Warriors sweep them by playing hard for a good five minutes a game...Literally all it took to get those bums out of there. At least the Blazers series was super entertaining though! 

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