The Portland Trail Blazers had lots of pressure to perform well this season with Damian Lillard. It has gone very poorly, though it has a lot to do with Lillard's extended absence.

Lillard has played just 29 games this season and has been sidelined with an abdominal strain since December. His injury has left the Blazers in a bad spot, as the surrounding talent has been unable to keep the team afloat. Especially following the trade deadline, where Portland dealt key players like CJ McCollum and Norman Powell, the team has piled up losses.

There is still some good news around Portland: the franchise superstar is making progress. Lillard told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports that he is feeling better than he has in years. Although he will still remain out for the rest of the season, this is a very good sign.

“It's the first time that I can say I was pain-free since maybe 2016, 2017. I think that's when I first started having issues. That was the last time I was probably moving freely, easily and just flowing the way I am right now. It’s a good feeling working out the other day and the coaching staff kept asking what I was thinking about because I had a smile on my face.”

Portland has to rebuild around Lillard this offseason using the assets they got at the deadline. They could swing a trade for another star like Jerami Grant to pair with Lillard. The franchise is desperate to avoid a rebuild and keep building with Lillard.