Dame 'not a fan' of pushing back 2020-21 start date
Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard is doing his best to stay in shape should the NBA resume play this season.
However, the All-Star guard hopes the completion of the 2019-20 campaign doesn't push back the beginning of the following season and has communicated his opposition toward such a scenario to the league, according to Jamie Goldberg of The Oregonian.
Lillard believes most players are against a permanent shift of the NBA season to around Christmas because it would take away summers with their families.
"For that to change, I'm definitely not a fan of that and I don't see many guys being a fan of that," Lillard said Tuesday during a virtual press conference, according to Bleacher Report's Sean Highkin.
If the 2019-20 season resumes, Lillard believes teams like his own deserve the right to pursue a playoff berth. But given the unique set of circumstances, the 29-year-old encouraged the NBA to think outside the box.
"They should do something like the NCAA Tournament with every team, single-game elimination, all the way up until the conference finals," Lillard said. "If there was any time for them to get super creative ... this is the time."
Before the NBA went on an indefinite hiatus, Lillard was having one of the best seasons of his career. The former Rookie of the Year recorded new personal bests in points (28.9 per game), assists (7.8), and field-goal percentage (45.7%).
Portland sits 3 1/2 games back of the Memphis Grizzlies for the Western Conference's eighth seed.