Bucks' Damian Lillard Breaks Silence on Injury and Playoff Return

The Milwaukee Bucks got some big news on Thursday as star guard Damian Lillard was cleared to begin basketball activities. Lillard has missed the last part of the NBA season due to a serious blood clot issue, and it has caused all sorts of problems for Milwaukee.

But getting Lillard back is crucial for the Bucks, especially with the postseason starting soon. Milwaukee will begin its playoff run against the Indiana Pacers, starting with Game 1 on Saturday.

Lillard has been ruled out for Game 1 as he ramps back into full basketball shape. But it seems that he is targeting a return very soon.

The Bucks star opened up on the entire situation, showing his gratitude for everyone supporting him.

"Obviously there's people with way worse issues than I've dealt with, so I don't want to be dramatic about it, but you just never know when something could come up and change your life," Lillard said Friday. "It's been guys like Chris Bosh who dealt with this and then it's another issue and it could be a career-ending thing, so I think you just can't take days and opportunities and things in your life for granted."

If the Bucks can get Lillard back sooner rather than later, it would be massive for their playoff chances. However, the team won't rush him back, and they will let the medical staff determine everything.

"I knew that if there was a chance that I could come back and play, I didn't just want to be sitting around doing nothing," said Lillard, who practiced Thursday without restrictions.

It remains to be seen when Lillard will make his return, but it seems to be coming down the line. Milwaukee could use him as they face the Pacers, and the team saw a ton of success against Indiana with Lillard in the lineup.

"He just kept saying, 'I'm going to get through this,'" Rivers said. "The energy of positive thinking, there may be something there. There is in this case, I can tell you that."

Milwaukee took three of four games from the Pacers this season, all with Lillard healthy. If he can return to make a difference in this series, the entire outcome of the Bucks' season could be altered.

More Bucks news:

Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo Reveals New Gameplan to Stop Pacers

Bucks Have One Major Advantage Over the Pacers in Playoff Series

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