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Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard remains out for the NBA playoffs, but is on the mend, the team announced Tuesday.
Per the team, Lillard’s deep vein thrombosis in his right calf has improved and he will continue to increase his on-court basketball activity.
“Damian’s most recent weekly scan shows that his injury has significantly improved which will enable him to move ahead safely with increased basketball activity,” said Bucks general manager Jon Horst said in a statement. “Damian’s health remains our No. 1 priority. We have followed strict protocols and will continue to do so. We are pleased with the positive news about Damian’s progress.”
UPDATE: Damian Lillard has made significant improvement on his deep vein thrombosis in his right calf. He will continue to increase his on-court basketball activity.
“Damian’s most recent weekly scan shows that his injury has significantly improved which will enable him to move…
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) April 15, 2025
The Bucks begin their first-round series against the Indiana Pacers on Saturday in Game 1 (1 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel. Lillard, 34, is the second high-profile player to be sidelined this season because of DVT, joining San Antonio Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama. Wembanyama was diagnosed with it in his shoulder after he returned from the All-Star Game earlier this season.
DVT typically develops in the lower leg, so the diagnosis of it in Lillard’s calf is not uncommon.
The 34-year-old Lillard finished the regular season ranked 10th in scoring (24.9) and 10th in assists (7.1). He earned his ninth All-Star Game selection this year.
Milwaukee went 10-4 without Lillard over its last 14 regular-season games and enters the playoffs on an eight-game winning streak.
The Bucks have dealt with injuries to key players every postseason since winning the NBA title in 2021.
Khris Middleton missed an entire seven-game Eastern Conference semifinal loss to Boston in 2022 with a sprained medial collateral ligament. Giannis Antetokounmpo bruised his lower back in Milwaukee’s first playoff game in 2023 and didn’t return until Game 4 of a first-round series it lost 4-1 to the Miami Heat. In the Bucks’ 4-2 first-round loss to Indiana last year, Antetokounmpo didn’t play at all because of a calf strain and Lillard missed two games with an Achilles injury.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
