Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard will be out indefinitely with a blood clot in his right calf.
The official diagnosis is deep vein thrombosis, and Lillard is now on blood-thinning medication which has stabilized the clot.
Just after the All-Star break, the San Antonio Spurs shut down superstar Victor Wembanyama for the season with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.
Lillard released a statement via NBA insider Chris Haynes:
“It’s unfortunate that something outside of my control would come up. Along with the Bucks’ medical staff, our priorities are to protect my health and safety. As much as I love basketball, I need to be there for my kids and my family. I’m grateful the Bucks acted quickly on this. They’ve been supportive and proactive throughout this process. I look forward to moving past this and continuing my career.”
The 34-year-old is in the midst of another All-Star and perhaps All-NBA season, averaging 24.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 7.1 assists, and 1.2 steals. He has shot 37.6 percent from three and 92.1 percent at the free-throw line in 58 games thus far.
He would need to play in at least seven more games to become All-NBA eligible, but that is obviously the least of his concerns right now.
Bucks’ Title Hopes Hanging By A Thread
It is safe to say that any hopes of Milwaukee winning a championship go out the window if Lillard is ruled out for the remainder of the season. While that may be the likely scenario, there’s no need to jump to conclusions until an official timetable is provided.
The Bucks also released a statement indicating this will be a weekly process:
“Damian’s health is our No. 1 priority,” GM Jon Horst said. “We will support him as he moves through this weekly process of strict criteria to ensure that it is safe for him to return to play. Doctors have indicated that his situation is very unlikely to occur again. We are thankful that this was identified and medicated quickly which helps with the recovery.”
With Bobby Portis still serving his 25-game suspension, it is plausible that the Bucks slide down to sixth in the East. The Detroit Pistons are currently 41-32 on the season and tied with Milwaukee who are 40-31.
The fourth of fifth seed could mean a matchup against the Indiana Pacers or Detroit Pistons as opposed to the New York Knicks. Falling into sixth would also mean sliding into the Boston Celtics’ side of the bracket as opposed to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Milwaukee will now be forced to lean more on the likes of Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr.
It is going to take a Herculean effort from Giannis Antetokounmpo to keep the Bucks competitive in the postseason.
