Talking Points: No big deal Lillard didn’t play much

1

Some fans were upset that Damian Lillard only played nine minutes in the All-Star Game.

Relax.

Lillard also participated in the Rising Stars Challenge, the Slam Dunk Contest, the Skills Challenge, and the Three-Point Contest. By playing in the All-Star Game on Sunday, he became the first player to compete in all five events in one All-Star weekend.

That is impressive.

It also makes for a long weekend. Perhaps playing limited minutes Sunday was a good thing for the Blazers.

2

Playing nine minutes in a debut All-Star Game is not a slight.

Geoff Petrie played five minutes in 1971.

Maurice Lucas played 11 minutes in his first appearance as a Blazer.

Even Clyde Drexler was limited to 15 minutes.

Brandon Roy is one of the exceptions. He got 28 minutes in his first ASG when starter Kobe Bryant only played 3 minutes that night.

The Blazers haven’t advanced past the first round of the NBA playoffs since 2000. They should appreciate the fact they got two All-Stars this year.

3

The golf world is mourning the loss of a tree.

This wasn’t just any tree, it was Ike’s Tree. And it wasn’t at just any course. It was at Augusta National.

The iconic Eisenhower Tree on the 17th hole was so badly damaged by an ice storm that it had to be removed over the weekend.

Curtis Strange wasn’t mourning: “It caught more line drives from me than I’m allowed to admit. That doesn’t hurt my feelings.”

Jack Nicklaus acknowledged the tree caught him quite a bit, but added: “Looking back, Ike’s Tree will be greatly missed.”

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