Lillard won’t play if no chance of playoffs

We had a real chance at the playoffs. If the NBA decides to come back after all this time with some stupid idea that eliminates our chances all together then fuck it, I wouldn’t want Dame playing either. It’s not his job to risk injury when there’s no longer a reason.

 

It would have been interesting, it would have been fun, but for this season, I firmly believe that if it could go wrong, it will.

Edit: Also, as a fan, I'll be pissed off if whatever they format the end up with loses that competitive race down the stretch.

 

So the idea is that Dame is supposed to go out and play four meaningless games, so the league can get every team to 70 games, which is a TV deal stipulation for a "full season" but the league doesn't want to take the time to give teams that were in contention a chance? If that is what the league ultimately decides, Dame should say "Fuck that!" and sit. Also as a fan I will be pissed. I mean if Mark Cuban is willing to put his team's 10.5 game lead over us, on the line to make things not just fair but more interesting and competitive then why wouldn't the league do the same thing.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id...ts-play-tournament-final-2-seeds-nba-playoffs

 

How did HCP hack this account?

 

Literally just made a video on this suggesting we sit more guys than just Dame. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaNUdqLz6sZjSOCNEJRbufg

 

This is a career move we should all emulate. Refuse to go to work. It's a waste of time. What's the use? And be sure to announce it in advance to your boss in the media.

What a spoiled, overpaid dick.

 

when you're boss says hey, jump on that handgrenade and you say ...nah...I'm good get a rookie to do that.....WHAT A WUSS!!! Somewhere an NBA owner is bleeding money if you can't milk the entertainment cow

 

What boss are you even talking about? I'm sure Olshey doesn't mind Dame trying to leverage his position to get this team a chance at a playoff spot, a chance they earned. The assumption that Dame is going to follow through with this is also premature. Dame is leveraging what he has, to give his team a better chance to compete. How in the world is that spoiled? Also teams have been holding star players out of the final games of the regular season, after being eliminated, for decades (during normal circumstances). So why is Lillard's possible sitting out at all reprehensible? I can't believe if you're a fan of this team, that you are blaming Dame for lobbying for his (and our) team's future. Your post is either an intentional ridiculous farce that just went over my head or an unintentional ridiculous farce that leaves you looking foolish.

 

When I was growing up there was a newspaper movie critic named "Joe Bob Briggs" I've always suspected jlprk might be Joe Bob Briggs at the drivein…."they had 32qts of blood, 12 breasts, car fu, cow fu, biker fu…. some kitchen sink fu...Joe Bob gives it a two thumbs up!"

 

I don’t like any tanking. I didn’t like Lebron sitting for the Lakers. I don’t like Lillard saying he won’t play. Don’t like any of it and never will. I’m sure there are people in here who didn’t like it when lebron did it and now are ok with lillard. I get it. I understand it (duh). Don’t like it.

 

It's Dame's prerogative, this is America after all. Although I do think it's only respectable if he forfeits pay for games missed, or donate it to charity.

 

How is it tanking if there's no chance of making the playoffs? That's being tanked by the league.

 

bad choice of words. Not tanking I guess. Sitting out and giving up.

 

It seems to me that it's pretty standard for teams to "rest" their star players after they've been eliminated from playoff contention.

Look, I know what you're saying, but I think that this is really a case of Dame pressing the league not to simply go with the top 8 teams from each conference as of the date that they suspended play. Personally, I'm glad that he's exerting whatever pressure he can to avoid that happening. The league has an incentive to play at least a few more regular season games in order to satisfy it's contracts with regional sports networks and avoid losing that money:
https://www.yardbarker.com/nba/arti...lay_70_regular_season_games/s1_13132_31879307

If the league wants to make that money, and if they can only do it by forcing teams that they would be pushing out of playoff contention to play meaningless games, why should star players want to risk injury when they feel like they're being screwed? In either a situation of resuming and playing out the full regular season or doing a play-in scenario, the Blazers have an excellent chance of getting at least the 8th seed because they are now fully healthy. I love that Dame is doing this.

 

Im fine with him trying this but if the decision were to be that every team finish out season no matter what I think players should play if healthy. Pipe dream i realize.

 

I'm sure Mr. Dolla has accrued a ton of sick days though.....

 

Dame clarified his position and offers support for a play-in tournament:

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id...damian-lillard-says-play-tourney-plan-perfect

 

I don’t see the problem, if you’re out of the hunt, why bother? Let the young guys get court time at that point. It’s all about longevity and health for superstar players.

 

Riverman is my mini-me shadow. He often quickly responds to my posts with something meaningless.

It's not standard for the player to announce he will rest himself. That's the boss' decision, not the employee's. Unless the rats have taken over the house.

 

“Boss”? Yeah, what league have you been watching for the past few decades? The NBA is a star-driven league. It doesn’t exactly operate like the local cannery.