The Milwaukee Bucks got some devastating news in the midst of their playoff push when it was announced that Damian Lillard has been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis, a type of blood cot. Absent for the past three games, Lillard is now out indefinitely. The clot is in the same calf, the official reason for those absences on the injury report, that he injured earlier this season. In the most important stretch of the season, the Bucks will be forced to rely on Giannis Antetokounmpo more than ever.
At 40-31, fifth place in the East two games behind the Pacers and tied with the Pistons in 6th, they have an extremely thin margin for error. And even if they do catch Indiana and/or fend off Detroit, Lillard’s absence, if it extends into the postseason, dramatically limits their ceiling. It doesn’t look good for Milwaukee’s season, but the most important issue for Bucks fans is Lillard’s health and well-being. Shortly after the report came out, Dame shared a statement reacting to the news.
Damian Lillard Issues Forward-Looking Response Thanking Milwaukee Bucks for Quick Action
Speaking to NBA insider Chris Haynes, Lillard said the following:
“It’s unfortunate that something outside of my control would come up. Along with the Bucks’ medical staff, our priorities are to protect my health and safety. As much as I love basketball, I need to be here for my kids and my family. I’m grateful the Bucks acted quickly on this. They’ve been supportive and proactive throughout this process. I look forward to moving past this and continuing my career.”
Due to various ailments, primarily his strained calf and an illness earlier this season, Lillard has already missed 13 games. He is second on the team in scoring at 24.9 points per game and leads the Bucks with 7.1 assists. He is their most dangerous deep threat and arguably their best shot creator given his handle and ability to manipulate defenders off the dribble.
Without him, Doc Rivers will obviously lean ever more heavily on Giannis, but trade acquisitions Kyle Kuzma and Kyle Porter Jr will also have to step up their already excellent playmaking contributions. While Milwaukee has the luxury of snipers like Taurean Prince, AJ Green and Gary Trent Jr, it would be ideal if Kuzma improved his shooting as well now that Dame’s sidelining creates a massive void in that area.
The Bucks won’t be asking him to equal Lillard’s 37.6 three-point percentage on high volume, but certainly he can make strides on his mark of 29.4% (and 42.9% from the field overall) since joining the team at the trade deadline.
Where Bucks Will Go from Here as Dame Deals with Blood Clot
Lillard is on blood thinners to treat the clot and will no doubt follow a strict recovery regimen to safeguard his health and return to the court as soon as possible. But it probably won’t be soon. Several months is a typical timeline for deep vein thrombosis to clear up, which could push the process into the offseason.
Milwaukee will be particularly thin until Bobby Portis returns from his 25-game suspension, which ends with around 6 games to go on the schedule. When Portis does come back, he may need a transition period to get back in the flow of real-time basketball.
The playoff picture for the Bucks appears grim. Compared to Dame’s health, of course, that is not a big-picture issue. Hopefully he can make a swift and full recovery and be back on the floor soon.
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