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Lillard out at least 5-6 weeks after undergoing abdominal surgery

Katelyn Mulcahy / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Portland Trail Blazers star guard Damian Lillard underwent surgery Thursday to remedy his lingering abdominal issue, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

He's expected to be re-evaluated in five-to-six weeks, adds Haynes.

Lillard was scheduled to meet with a specialist this week after head coach Chauncey Billups said he wouldn't travel with the team for its upcoming six-game road trip, which begins Thursday against the Denver Nuggets.

The 31-year-old has already missed Portland's last five games with the injury. He was also sidelined for another five-game stint from Nov. 30-Dec. 8 with the same ailment.

Billups said earlier this month he and Lillard would discuss the possibility of the six-time All-Star sitting out for a prolonged period in order to aid his recovery.

"I think what we're gonna do is just kind of meet, put all our heads together soon and then talk through some of those things," Billups told reporters on Jan. 4, courtesy of Aaron J. Fentress of The Oregonian. "I think that's probably gonna be the route that we go if he doesn’t get some kind of relief there."

Lillard is averaging 24 points, 7.3 assists, and 4.1 rebounds through 29 games in his 10th season but has had difficulty finding his shot. The Weber State product is shooting just 40.2% from the field and 32.4% from beyond the arc this year, both of which are career-worst marks.

Portland has stumbled through the first half of the season, going 16-24 and sitting 10th in the Western Conference. They've won just four of the 11 games Lillard has missed thus far, with six of those seven defeats by double digits.

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