Milwaukee Bucks star guard Damian Lillard is returning to the court to play in Tuesday’s Game 2 of the team’s first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers, he said before the game. Lillard, who was upgraded to questionable on Monday, has not played since March 18 due to a blood clot in his right calf, but has made a swift recovery.
Bucks coach Doc Rivers told reporters on Monday that Lillard practiced with the team earlier that day and had gone through live scrimmages in each of the past two days.
“He’s close,” Rivers said. “He looks great to me.”
When Lillard was first diagnosed with a blood clot in his calf in mid-March, he was put on blood-thinning medication and ruled out indefinitely. CBS Sports’ Bill Reiter reported at the time, though, that there was quiet optimism that Lillard would be able to make a return this season. Now, it appears that Lillard will do just that, possibly as soon as Game 2 in Indianapolis.
“We’re thrilled for Dame,” Bucks GM Jon Horst said in a statement on April 17. “Our priority has always been Dame’s health. Every step of Dame’s recovery has been at the direction of world-class medical professionals and their specific and strict protocols that have allowed for Dame’s safe and healthy return to play.”
Lillard’s return, whenever it comes, will be a major boost for a Bucks team that was outclassed by the Pacers in Game 1. While Giannis Antetokounmpo put up 36 points and 12 rebounds, no one else on the Bucks scored more than 15 points and two starters, Kyle Kuzma and Taurean Prince, went scoreless.
Kyle Kuzma’s historically bad Game 1 performance highlights Bucks’ supporting cast concerns
Jack Maloney
“I thought our offense was awful,” Rivers said after the defeat. “I thought our offense contributed as much to our defense as anything. We just didn’t play the way we’ve played during this stretch offensively… We’re not gonna beat them when we have 98 points. We’re not gonna beat them when we have 15 assists and 10 turnovers. We’re just not. We gotta get back to our spacing, playing downhill and moving the ball.”
Lillard is one of the best guards in the league and will help solve a lot of those problems. Not only will he give the Bucks an elite shotmaker that the Pacers will have to respect, but his ability to get into the paint and create for himself and others will test the Pacers’ defense in new ways.
It’s important to remember that Lillard has not played in over a month, and was only cleared for full basketball activities a few days ago. Even from a simple cardio standpoint, he may not be able to make his usual impact right away. Still, having Lillard on the floor in any capacity is far better than the alternative for the Bucks as they try to avoid being eliminated by their Central Division rivals for the second consecutive postseason.
