Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers offered a cautiously optimistic update Thursday on the health of star point guard Damian Lillard, who continues to recover from deep vein thrombosis in his right calf.
“Everything is still progressing positively,” Rivers told reporters. “Last test was fantastic. So, you know, that’s about all I have. Fingers crossed.”
Latest on Damian Lillard’s Injury Before Milwaukee Bucks Begin Postseason
Lillard, 34, has been sidelined since March 18 and remains out indefinitely. A postseason return hasn’t been ruled out entirely, though Rivers acknowledged that the medical timeline remains fluid.
“(The timeline) definitely has changed, medically,” Rivers said earlier this week. “Which is good. The location of it is very important as well. And it is, it’s lower. But, it still could be six months. We just don’t know.”
The Bucks acquired Lillard in a blockbuster trade with the Portland Trail Blazers last offseason, hoping to pair him with two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to form one of the NBA’s premier duos. While the partnership has shown flashes of brilliance, injuries have interrupted the team’s rhythm.
Damian Lillard’s Status Remains a Significant Factor for the Milwaukee Bucks
Lillard has appeared in 58 games this season, averaging 24.9 points and 7.1 assists while shooting 37.6 percent from three-point range. However, his absence down the stretch adds to a growing list of late-season setbacks for the Bucks, who were eliminated in the first round of last year’s playoffs.
Milwaukee (45-34) is currently fifth in the Eastern Conference standings, on pace for a potential first-round rematch with the Indiana Pacers. The Bucks lost to Indiana in last year’s postseason, a disappointing finish that prompted a coaching change midway through the season, replacing Adrian Griffin with Rivers.
With just three games remaining in the regular season, the Bucks will likely head into the playoffs without their All-Star floor general, hoping for a late-season surge and some good fortune on the injury front.
