Is Damian Lillard returning for Game 5 vs. Spurs withTrail Blazers’ season on brink?

The Portland Trail Blazers will attempt to save their season during Game 5 vs. the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday. They’ll remain without star guard Damian Lillard for the due-or-die matchup.

Despite speculation about a potential return, the Trail Blazers ruled Lillard out for Game 5. The nine-time All-Star has not appeared in a game this season after tearing his Achilles tendon during the first round of last year’s playoffs with the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Trail Blazers appeared to tease a potential Lillard return last week.

Damian Lillard injury status vs. Spurs

Portland posted a video of the 35-year-old shooting around before Game 4.

pic.twitter.com/1nJpn5QZgQ

— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) April 22, 2026

While he won’t return for Game 5, the door isn’t closed for a Lillard return during the playoffs if the Trail Blazers can stay alive, according to The Oregonian’s Bill Oram.

“A source said Lillard is ‘close’ and that his return before the end of the postseason is ‘not impossible.’ Any appearance would need to be in a later round or ‘deep, deep’ in the series against the Spurs. At a minimum, the team is being open-minded about the possibility,” Oram wrote.

The Trail Blazers are 12.5-point underdogs on Tuesday after falling behind 3-1, per FanDuel Sportsbook.

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