The Bucks’ star guard has not played since late March because of a blood clot in his right calf.
Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard is still not playing in the NBA playoffs, but he is getting better, the team said on Tuesday.
Lillard has been dealing with a blood clot in his right calf, but it has improved. He will now start doing more basketball activities on the court.
“Damian’s latest scan shows good progress, and now he can safely do more basketball work,” said Bucks general manager Jon Horst. “His health is our top priority. We’ve followed strict medical steps and will keep doing that. We’re happy to see Damian getting better.”
The Bucks will face the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET (ESPN).
Damian Lillard, 34, has been out since late March due to a blood clot (deep vein thrombosis or DVT) in his right calf. DVT happens when a blood clot forms inside a blood vessel, and it’s common in the lower leg. Lillard is the second big-name player this season affected by it, after Victor Wembanyama of the Spurs, who had it in his shoulder.
Lillard had a strong season, finishing 10th in both scoring (24.9 points per game) and assists (7.1), and earned his ninth All-Star selection.
Even without him, Milwaukee finished the season strong, winning 10 of their last 14 games and riding an eight-game win streak into the playoffs.
The Bucks have faced injury issues in every postseason since winning the title in 2021. In 2022, Khris Middleton missed the entire series against Boston. In 2023, Giannis Antetokounmpo hurt his back and only returned for Game 4 in a series they lost to Miami. Last year, against Indiana, Giannis didn’t play at all due to a calf injury, and Lillard missed two games with an Achilles issue.
(With info from the Associated Press)
