Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard has been sidelined for nearly a month because of a blood-clot issue, and some new information has emerged about his status for the playoffs.
Lillard is not expected to play when the Bucks begin their first-round series against the Indiana Pacers on Saturday, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The veteran point guard has not been ruled out for the remainder of the season, however.
Charania says Lillard has made “significant progress” and there is optimism that the 34-year-old could be cleared at some point during the postseason.
Lillard has, however, made significant progress with the blood clot and there remains optimism for his clearance at some point in the playoffs, sources said. He is continuing to increase basketball activity this week. https://t.co/NqriR7quSL
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 15, 2025
Lillard has been sidelined since March 18 after he was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf. The initial belief was that he would miss the remainder of the season due to the serious nature of the condition, but there have been some positive updates about his recovery.
The Bucks finished the regular season with a record of 48-34, which earned them the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. If they can survive the first round, they may wind up getting a huge boost at some point from Lillard’s return.
Lillard averaged 24.9 points, 7.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game in his second season with the Bucks. The team’s chances of making a deep playoff run without him might be slim.
