Bucks' Damian Lillard Receives Massive Update on Playoff Return Timeline

The Milwaukee Bucks could welcome back their superstar guard, Damian Lillard, as early as next week.

Lillard will miss Game 1 of the series, but the Bucks are optimistic that he could return next week.

ESPN's Shams Charania shared via X.

Just in on NBA Countdown – Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard is expected to make his return in Game 2 or Game 3 of series against the Indiana Pacers, sources tell ESPN: pic.twitter.com/RNHT5eHfPl
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 19, 2025

Lillard has not played in over a month due to a blood clot in his right calf. He has made massive steps towards recovery, and the hope is he could be back in Game 2 or Game 3 of the series.

Lillard has made significant progress lately, so much so that the doctors have never seen anything like it. He spoke to the media on Friday and detailed what the doctors have told him about his recovery.

“They were just like, 'we don’t see this,'" Lillard said. "For me, I was just like, it was a different experience for me because I went in there a bunch of times and it was the same size. So I’m like, it didn’t seem that special and then it just reached a point where it just got a lot smaller out of nowhere. They did say that.”

The nine-time All-Star also shared his initial thoughts on the injury when he was first diagnosed.

“It was a little bit scary,” Lillard said. “I think I’ve had a couple of surgeries in my career. I’ve had things I’ve had to deal with, you know, with an ankle or a knee, Achilles, calf, whatever it might be. But those are all things that you go to rehab, you deal with it like that, like an athlete would.

“I’m thinking that’s what I was going into, and then you see a blood clot. Obviously, that’s a thing that can affect your life.”

Lillard was initially diagnosed with a blood clot in his right calf on March 25. That caused him to miss the final 14 games of the regular season. Nonetheless, the Bucks finished the season strong, winning their final eight games, and now enter the playoffs as one of the hottest teams.

The possibility of Lillard returning adds an exciting layer to the series and elevates the overall intrigue. With both teams expected to be at or near full strength, this matchup has all the makings of a tightly contested, seven-game battle.

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