Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard is slated to return to action for Tuesday`s Game 2 in the team`s opening-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers. Lillard himself confirmed his availability before the game. His status had been upgraded to questionable on Monday. Lillard had been sidelined since March 18 due to a blood clot in his right calf, but he has made a remarkably quick recovery.
Bucks head coach Doc Rivers informed reporters on Monday that Lillard had participated in team practice earlier that day and had taken part in live scrimmages during the preceding two days.
“He`s close,” Rivers commented. “He looks great to me.”
When Lillard was initially diagnosed with the calf blood clot in mid-March, he was prescribed blood-thinning medication and ruled out indefinitely. However, Bill Reiter of CBS Sports reported at the time that there was quiet optimism within the organization that Lillard would be able to play again this season. It now appears that Lillard will indeed achieve this, potentially as early as Game 2 in Indianapolis.
Bucks General Manager Jon Horst released a statement on April 17 regarding the situation:
“We`re thrilled for Dame. Our priority has always been Dame`s health. Every step of Dame`s recovery has been at the direction of world-class medical professionals and their specific and strict protocols that have allowed for Dame`s safe and healthy return to play.”
Lillard`s return, whenever it occurs, represents a significant boost for a Bucks team that was clearly outplayed by the Pacers in Game 1. While Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered a strong performance with 36 points and 12 rebounds, no other Bucks player managed to score more than 15 points. Notably, two starters, Kyle Kuzma and Taurean Prince, failed to score at all.
Following the Game 1 defeat, Coach Rivers was critical of the team`s offense:
“I thought our offense was awful… I thought our offense contributed as much to our defense as anything. We just didn`t play the way we`ve played during this stretch offensively… We`re not gonna beat them when we have 98 points. We`re not gonna beat them when we have 15 assists and 10 turnovers. We`re just not. We gotta get back to our spacing, playing downhill and moving the ball.”
As one of the NBA`s premier guards, Lillard is expected to help alleviate many of these offensive issues. He provides the Bucks with an elite scorer who will command defensive attention from the Pacers. Furthermore, his skill in driving to the basket and creating scoring opportunities for himself and others will test the Pacers` defense in ways they didn`t face in Game 1.
It is important to note that Lillard has not played for over a month and received clearance for full basketball activities only a few days ago. He may not be able to perform at his usual high level immediately, potentially even from a conditioning perspective. Nevertheless, having Lillard available in any capacity is a much better scenario for the Bucks as they attempt to avoid being eliminated by their Central Division rivals for the second consecutive postseason.
Jasper Hawthorne