Is Damian Lillard playing tonight vs Knicks? Trail Blazers star's availability update

The Portland Trail Blazers lock horns with the New York Knicks at the Madison Square Garden on Saturday, February 6. The NBA regular-season game between the two Trail Blazers and the Knicks is scheduled to commence at 1:00 PM ET (11:30 PM IST). However, social media has been abuzz over whether or not Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard will feature in the game against the Knicks after he missed out on the clash against the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night. 

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Is Damian Lillard playing tonight? Trail Blazers' injury report vs Knicks

Earlier on Thursday, Jason Quick of The Athletic confirmed that Damian Lillard sustained an abdominal strain and will miss out on the game against the Sixers later that day. The announcement left the Trail Blazers with just nine players for the game against the Sixers. However, Portland fans were more concerned over whether the Lillard's injury was a serious one with the games now coming thick and fast. 

Lillard scored 32 points on Tuesday to lead an injury-plagued Portland to a 132-121 victory in Washington. However, after the game, he revealed that he was "pushing and fighting" throughout the contest because he was aware of how important the game was for the Trail Blazers.

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As of Friday, Lillard has been listed as 'day-to-day' on the Trail Blazers' injury report card. It was previously reported that Lillard's injury wasn't serious. Therefore, it remains to be seen whether head coach Terry Stotts will be looking to rush his star man back into action against the Knicks on Saturday. Lillard is averaging 29.1 points and 7.3 assists in 20 games this season.

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Trail Blazers vs Knicks preview

The Trail Blazers are currently in fifth place on the Western Conference table, with 12 wins and nine defeats. Terry Stotts' side recorded an impressive 121-105 victory over Eastern Conference leaders Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night. They also did so in the absence of star man Damian Lillard. However, the Trail Blazers will be hoping that the five-time NBA All-Star recovers soon enough and is available for selection.

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On the other hand, the New York Knicks are ninth in the Eastern Conference, with 10 wins and 13 defeats this season. Tom Thibodeau's side bounced back against the Bulls to win their second meeting 107-103 following a defeat against Billy Donovan's side on Monday. 

Image Credits - AP