Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups has a message to the NBA: enjoy Damian Lillard's struggles while he's on it. … Well, sort of.
Lillard has been on a rut since the start of the 2021-22 season, averaging just 17.8 points on 33.3 percent shooting from the field–including a horrendous 17.1 percent from deep. However, Billups doesn't see the poor run of form extending far longer for Dame, warning the rest of the league that he should be able to return to his old, dominant self soon.
“He's a ticking time bomb. He's gonna have one of those big nights soon,” Billups said ahead of the Blazers' game against the Los Angeles Clippers, per Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints.
Damian Lillard has been on the receiving end of criticisms due to his uncharacteristic play that had the Blazers starting at 2-2. It could have been worse for Portland if not for CJ McCollum, who is playing like a true All-Star this 2021-22.
For what it's worth though, Lillard himself is not that worried about his numbers. Perhaps it is merely the result of a change in the offensive schemes after the hiring of Chauncey Billups, but Dame is not making any excuses. Instead, he reminded everyone what he has consistently done in the first nine years of his career.
With the ways things are trending–Lillard having scored 20 in their latest win over the Memphis Grizzlies–what Billups said might not be far-fetched at all. Dame Time is due for an appearance, and fans might witness it rather soon.