The Milwaukee Bucks announced on Tuesday that nine-time All-Star point guard Damian Lillard will be out indefinitely after he was diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in his right calf. The Bucks said that Lillard has been taking blood thinners, which have stabilized the DVT, and that he will continue to be regularly tested as the season goes on.
“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,” Lillard told NBA Insider Chris Haynes. “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.”
In his second season with the Bucks, Damian Lillard is 11th in the league in scoring (24.9 points per game) and tenth in assists (7.1 per game).
Milwaukee Bucks: Damian Lillard has sustained a deep vein thrombosis (blood clot) in his right calf. Lillard is on blood-thinning medication, which has stabilized the blood clot, and will continue with regular testing. He is out indefinite period. pic.twitter.com/CC7k9bXnZV
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 26, 2025
“Damian’s health is our number one priority,” said Bucks general manager Jon Horst in a statement. “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.”
Lillard is the second high-profile player this season to be diagnosed with DVT. On February 20th, the San Antonio Spurs announced that superstar center Victor Wembanyama was diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis, causing him to miss the remainder of the 2024-25 regular season.
Another major blow to the Bucks’ championship hopes
Before I provide my analysis of this news, I want to wish Damian Lillard a full and speedy recovery. This is a very dangerous situation, and some things are bigger than basketball. Lillard should absolutely NOT rush back from this diagnosis. He needs to take his time and ensure he is fully healthy before returning to a basketball court.
This is the second huge loss for the Milwaukee Bucks organization over the last two months. They suffered a major blow when they lost forward Bobby Portis Jr. to a 25-game suspension in February. However, they’ve been able to weather the storm, going 11-7 in the 18 games since he was suspended. They’ve stayed afloat because of the production they’ve received from All-Stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. However, this loss feels very different.
Though Bobby Portis is an effective player, he has only averaged 13.7 points and 2.2 assists per game this season. Damian Lillard is much more important to the Bucks’ championship hopes since he is second on the team in points per game and first in assists. And with just 11 games left in the regular season for Milwaukee, Lillard’s status for the playoffs is currently up in the air after the Bucks didn’t provide a target return date for the 2025 All-Star.
“Are the #Bucks done for the season?”😳@JenGabeChewy react to the Damian Lillard news. pic.twitter.com/3ERo50MMXy
— ESPN Milwaukee (@ESPNMilwaukee) March 26, 2025
I think the Bucks need to start preparing for the worst and planning for Lillard to miss a significant portion of the playoffs. If that ends up happening, then I don’t see how Milwaukee can make it out of the first round of the playoffs, let alone win a championship.
As things currently stand, the Bucks will face the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the postseason. In four matchups against Indiana this season, Lillard is averaging almost a double-double with 18.3 points and 9.3 assists per game. That level of production will be incredibly hard to make up for, considering the Bucks’ backup point guards are Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins.
I want to emphasize again that Damian Lillard should prioritize his health over everything else and take as much time as he needs to return from this health scare. Unfortunately for the Bucks, if that recovery timetable leaks into the postseason, then Milwaukee will once again be met with an early playoff exit.
