The Milwaukee Bucks are getting one of their biggest stars back with their season in the balance. Star guard Damian Lillard will reportedly return for Game 2 of the team’s playoff series against the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Lillard has not played since March 18 due to deep vein thrombosis in his right calf. The Bucks star was diagnosed with the issue roughly a week after that contest. The team reportedly put Lillard on a blood-thinning medication to treat the injury. Deep vein thrombosis is a condition in which a blood clot forms in a vein deep within the body.
The team did not provide a timeline for Lillard’s return initially, only saying he would be tested regularly. Milwaukee announced the news with just 11 games left until the playoffs, putting Lillard’s postseason eligibility in doubt.
For weeks, there were no updates on Lillard’s status. But with the playoffs just on the horizon, the Bucks received good news. Lillard recovered from the issue and was cleared to get back to action.
Lillard continued to progress, and reports emerged suggesting he would play in either Game 2 or Game 3 of the Bucks’ playoff series against the Pacers. He’ll hit the early end of that schedule if he does indeed return Tuesday night.
Lillard’s presence should give Milwaukee a significant boost. Lillard averaged 24.9 points and 7.1 assists for the Bucks in 58 regular-season games prior to the injury. If he’s anywhere near close to full strength, he’ll take pressure off Bucks big man Giannis Antetokounmpo, who scored 36 points in the team’s 117-98 Game 1 loss.
The Bucks will look to rebound after going down in the series 1-0. Lillard should give them a better chance of evening the series and could be the spark the Bucks need to make a surprising postseason run.
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