Decision to compete! Hello, Lillard! Out for the entire 25-26 season

Is this even possible?

Recently, the NBA revealed the roster for the All-Star Three-Point Contest,which features Booker (Suns), Knippler (Hornets), Lillard (Blazers), Maxey (76ers), Mitchell (Cavaliers), Murray (Nuggets), Portis (Bucks), and Powell (Heat).

Although the lineup is truly star-studded, mostly consisting of All-Star caliber players, there was one extremely surprising selection: Lillard, who has already been ruled out for the 25-26 season due to injury. He suffered a left Achilles tendon rupture last April, and unexpectedly, his comeback debut will be at the three-point contest...

Lillard won the All-Star Three-Point Contest in both the 22-23 and 23-24 seasons, but now at age 35 and not fully recovered, it may be difficult for him to defend his title this year.

Last offseason, Lillard parted ways with the Bucks and returned to Portland on a three-year, $42 million deal that includes a player option and trade veto for the 27-28 season. He will no longer be the absolute core of the Blazers but will serve as a mentor to younger players and a leader in the locker room.

During his 11-year tenure with the Blazers, Lillard led the team to the playoffs eight times, including a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2019. Individually, he earned Rookie of the Year honors, seven All-NBA selections, and seven All-Star appearances, and most importantly, was named among the NBA’s 75 greatest players. Even a brief two-year absence did not diminish his status as Portland’s undisputed hometown hero.

It’s worth noting that this year the Blazers have four players participating in the All-Star events: as mentioned, Lillard, Yang Hansheng, Klingen (Rookie Game), and Avdija (main event).

The Blazers currently hold a 25-28 record, ranking 10th in the Western Conference, trailing the 6th-place Timberwolves by 6.5 games and leading the 11th-place Grizzlies by 4 games.Making the playoffs outright is unlikely; the priority is to secure a play-in tournament spot.

The Blazers’ last playoff appearance was in 2021, led by Lillard. Now that he’s back, even without playing, the team’s playoff hopes have been reignited.