Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard plans to undergo surgery to treat a persistent abdominal injury, sources told ESPN.
A final decision on the procedure and schedule is expected to be made after some consultations with doctors this week. The procedure is likely to keep Lillard out for at least 6 to 8 weeks, sources said, but his recovery timeline could be determined by the course the Blazers take from here.
Lillard last played on December 31.
Portland is 10th in the Western Conference and the team is 4-7 without Lillard this season. Backcourt star CJ McCollum is out indefinitely after suffering a collapsed lung.
Lillard compounded his abdominal injury playing for Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics last summer. He has battled the problem all season, as his shooting and scoring numbers have declined since last season. The six-time All-Star averages 24 points and 7.3 assists in 29 games.
The Blazers begin a six-game road trip that begins Thursday.
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