Damian Lillard: (Fingers) Playing with Splints

Lillard is currently playing with splints/wraps on his sprained right middle and ring fingers, The Oregonian reports.

Analysis:

Lillard sustained the ailments last Thursday, which left the fingers swollen, and his first attempt to play with the splints/wraps wasn't smooth by any indication. On Sunday at New York, he knocked down just 5-of-16 shots, including two treys, en route to 20 points, five rebounds, two assists, and one steal in 36 minutes. The line didn't deviate much from his season-long output, but he was clearly adjusting the splints/wraps with regularity during the game, which he discussed afterward. "When I shoot the ball, I roll the ball off my fingertips," Lillard said. "So with the splints and it being wrapped up, I kind of couldn't feel the ball until it got to my fingertips. So it was hard to shoot a forceful shot and to shoot a shot with somebody really guarding me." While his shooting percentage could take a hit in the short term, his ability to take the floor isn't really in question.