MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks said Damian Lillard has made “significant improvement” in his recovery from deep vein thrombosis in his right calf but they haven’t indicated when the seven-time all-NBA guard might start playing again.
The update comes as the Bucks get ready to begin their postseason. Milwaukee, the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, has its first playoff game Saturday at fourth-seeded Indiana.
Watch: Local doctor explains Lillard's diagnosis:
“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,” general manager Jon Horst said Tuesday 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.”
The Bucks said Lillard would continue to increase his on-court basketball activity.
Lillard last played in a game on March 18. The Bucks announced a week later that Lillard was dealing with deep vein thrombosis, an abnormal clot within a vessel where the congealing of blood blocks the flow through on the way back to the heart.
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.
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