MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks said Damian Lillard has made “significant improvement” in his recovery from deep vein thrombosis in his right calf, but they haven’t indicated when the seven-time all-NBA guard might start playing again.
The update comes as the Bucks get ready to begin their postseason. Milwaukee, the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, has its first playoff game Saturday at fourth-seeded Indiana.
“Damian’s most recent weekly scan shows that his injury has significantly improved which will enable him to move ahead safely with increased basketball activity,” general manager Jon Horst said Tuesday in a statement. “Damian’s health remains our No. 1 priority. We have followed strict protocols and will continue to do so. We are pleased with the positive news about Damian’s progress.”
The Bucks said Lillard would continue to increase his on-court basketball activity. Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers said after the Bucks' Tuesday practice that Lillard's on-court activity has essentially involved shooting and other noncontact work.
Rivers was asked if there's any possibility Lillard could play in the opening-round series.
“We're hopeful,” Rivers said. “We're just following the protocols, so we'll see. We don't know yet.”
Lillard last played in a game on March 18. The Bucks announced a week later that Lillard was dealing with deep vein thrombosis, an abnormal clot within a vessel where the congealing of blood blocks the flow through on the way back to the heart.
The 34-year-old Lillard finished the regular season ranked 10th in scoring (24.9) and 10th in assists (7.1). He earned his ninth All-Star Game selection this year.
The Bucks have dealt with injuries to key players every postseason since winning the NBA title in 2021.
Khris Middleton missed an entire seven-game Eastern Conference semifinal loss to Boston in 2022 with a sprained medial collateral ligament. Giannis Antetokounmpo bruised his lower back in Milwaukee’s first playoff game in 2023 and didn’t return until Game 4 of a first-round series it lost 4-1 to the Miami Heat. In the Bucks’ 4-2 first-round loss to Indiana last year, Antetokounmpo didn’t play at all because of a calf strain and Lillard missed two games with an Achilles injury.
Rivers said one advantage this year is that Lillard’s issue occurred early enough in the season that the Bucks got accustomed to playing without him by the time the playoffs started. That represents a major contrast from last year, when Antetokounmpo strained his calf in the Bucks’ 79th game, leaving them with little time to adapt to the situation before they had to open the playoffs without the two-time MVP.
Milwaukee went 10-4 without Lillard over its last 14 regular-season games and enters the playoffs on an eight-game winning streak.
Antetokounmpo has stepped up his performance by averaging 31.8 points, 12 rebounds and 11.8 assists in six April games and collecting triple-doubles in four of them. Kevin Porter Jr.'s playing time has increased in Lillard's absence, and he has responded by averaging 20.2 points over his last five games.
“At least we've had a long stretch without him,” Rivers said. “Scoot (Porter) has been able to come in and help. Ryan Rollins has played great. We've kind of changed the way we play a little bit, with Giannis having the ball more. At least we've had more time to adjust to it.”
Rivers also said he's “pretty sure” that reserve center Jericho Sims should be available for the postseason. Sims averaged 2.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 15 minutes in 14 games after the Bucks acquired him from New York at the trade deadline, but he hasn't played for the last month due to a torn ligament in his right thumb.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Steve Megargee, The Associated Press
