So, it is True?
Damian Lillard is 29-years-old, and with his selection to the 2020 All-Star game, he is also now a five-time All-Star representative of the Portland Trail Blazers.
For lack of a better phrase: he has been there, and done that.
With his age too (and lack off missed games in his eight-year career: 25 total), he may have an eye towards both the long-term struggle, with the desire to rest as much as possible over the next week, rather than participate in both the All-Star Game and the 3-point shooting contest which would require him to stay “on” over a period of time he might very much just wish to sleep through.
While an All-Star appearance is certainly probably never old hat to a player, with the fact that he had already been named to the team, whether or not he actually played in the game, he will forever be recognized as an All-Star this season.
He too has been carrying the franchise (although, much like Booker, not very far as Portland has fallen four games behind Memphis for the eight-seed in the playoffs), averaging career-highs in scoring, field goals both made and attempted per game, as well as assists, while averaging career-highs in both 3-pointers both made and attempted, falling just .001 his career-high beyond the arc (.394 in 2013-14).
It is very possible that Lillard is exhausted and did not want to fully participate in the All-Star festivities (maybe he is like me, and doesn’t care for the manner in which the teams are selected), and used the injury (or at least the appearance of a severe-enough injury) to back out of the entire weekend all together.
But if any of that is true, why did he single out Devin Booker?