Milwaukee Bucks All-Star, Damian Lillard, has officially been diagnosed with a blood clot. As a result, he will be out indefinitely. Thankfully, Lillard is now on blood thinning medication and the issue has now stabilized. There is still hope that the Bucks point guard will still be able to return this year.
“Damian’s health is our number one priority,” said Bucks General Manager Jon Horst. “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.”
Milwaukee is currently fifth in the Eastern Conference with a win-loss record of 40-31.
Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Point Guard, Damian Lillard, Suffers Blood Clot
Damian Lillard’s Season Thus Far
Lillard has been putting together another impressive campaign. This season, he is averaging 24.9 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.7 total rebounds per game. On top of this, Lillard is also tallying a three-point shooting percentage of 37.6 percent, a field goal percentage of 44.8 percent, and 1.2 steals per game. Lillard has also been shining in terms of advanced statistical categories.
He is authoring a true shooting percentage of 62.1 percent, an offensive box plus/minus rating of +4.5, and an assists percentage of 30.0 percent. Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo have formed a dynamic star pairing which has kept the Bucks alive in many situations this season. We know how dominant of a paint presence Antetokounmpo is, but Lillard’s perimeter presence has helped take some of the offensive load off the former Finals MVP. While Damian Lillard is a bit older now, losing him could still be a massive blow to Milwaukee’s title aspirations.
How Far can the Milwaukee Bucks Go?
One cannot count out a fully healthy Bucks squad. Especially when Giannis Antetokounmpo is still a top-three player in the world. However, the key to a deep playoff run will be the supporting cast. We know how dominant Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo can be, especially as a duo. Can role players such as Kyle Kuzma, Brook Lopez, and Gary Trent Jr. step up when needed? Especially in a crucial Game Seven if it comes to that point. If Damian Lillard misses extended time to goes into the postseason, the Bucks could be in for a very difficult road. Especially since this will put extra responsibility on the role players of Milwaukee. However, the most important thing right now for the Bucks and Damian Lillard is his health and him getting back to 100 percent.
