Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) seems to be on throughout warmups previous to sport 5 of the primary spherical for the 2024 NBA playoffs towards the Indiana Pacers at Fiserv Discussion board. Obligatory Credit score: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Photographs Milwaukee Bucks All-Star level guard Damian Lillard has been cleared of his deep vein thrombosis and is now not on blood-thinning medicine, in keeping with ESPN’s Shams Charania on Thursday.
Simply three weeks after being dominated out indefinitely attributable to blood clots, Lillard obtained exceptional and historic medical information by clearing the clot so shortly due to early detection and therapy.
Whereas Lillard received’t play in Saturday’s Sport 1 towards the Indiana Pacers, the Bucks guard can have a time period to ramp up contact exercises forward of a return to basketball. No quick timeline has been set for his return.
I’m no physician, however leaving basketball out of this, it looks as if a significant win for Lillard. As a fan of basketball, we’ve seen Chris Bosh should retire due to blood clots. The same well being scare reduce brief the promising Defensive Participant of the Yr marketing campaign of younger phenom Victor Wembanyama this season as effectively.
It’s a exceptional win to get Lillard again on the ground typically. However in three weeks? That’s phenomenal work by everybody concerned.
On the courtroom, there’s no denying that the Bucks will want Lillard’s companies sooner slightly than later. With out Lillard, Milwaukee was a formidable 16-8. When the information of those blood clots surfaced, many had written the Bucks off for lifeless in a top-heavy Jap Convention.
Milwaukee drew a tremendously tough first-round matchup with the Pacers, who’re top-of-the-line offensive groups within the Jap Convention. Fueled by level guard Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers can flat-out run the ground and put the ball within the basket at an extremely fast clip, so Lillard’s offensive prowess will likely be wanted.
In response to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Bucks are a slight +140 underdog to get out of the primary spherical. It’s anticipated to be essentially the most aggressive first-round collection within the East. In the event that they do escape the high-scoring Pacers, they’ll seemingly have a convention semifinals date with the Cleveland Cavaliers — who completed the season because the No. 1 seed within the East with the No. 1 offense within the NBA.
Lillard was averaging almost 25 factors per sport earlier than being dominated out. He averaged simply over seven assists per sport as effectively. The Bucks will definitely welcome all of that, as Giannis Antetokounmpo will want his Robin wholesome and accessible to ensure that the Bucks to have actually any likelihood within the NBA Playoffs this season.
Nationally, the narrative surrounding the Jap Convention has been all in regards to the Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and New York Knicks. It’s superb that Lillard is even medically accessible to provide it a go, as a result of the Bucks would possibly want one other miracle out of him to make noise on this postseason.
