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Bucks Star Damian Lillard Medically Cleared to Play in Postseason

Matt Levine|
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Milwaukee Bucks

With just a few days left before the start of the NBA postseason, the Milwaukee Bucks have been given a possible gift. Star guard Damian Lillard has been cleared of his scary injury and could return to the team during their series with the Indiana Pacers.

The star guard has been cleared of his deep vein thrombosis and is no longer on blood-thinning medication. Lillard will miss Game 1 of the series and will take some time to ramp things up. But this is massive news for the Bucks ahead of the postseason.

NBA insider Shams Charania of ESPN reported the news on social media.

Having Lillard on the floor drastically changes everything for this series. His presence gives the Bucks another star player, and it could change the entire trajectory of the playoff series.

Milwaukee took three of four games from the Pacers this year, all with Lillard in the lineup. But there are still some hurdles to clear before we see the guard back on the court.

More Bucks news: Bucks Tease Damian Lillard Comeback With Simple Post

Charania also added that this is a historic recovery from this injury. Nobody could have expected him to recover in this short of a time frame, but Lillard has been working with multiple doctors to make it happen.

"Remarkable and historic development to clear from the blood clot in just over 3 weeks. Doctors have told Bucks officials this recovery has never been seen before – but occurred due to early treatment, detection, and specialists working on Lillard even before formal diagnosis."

With the series starting in a few days, Milwaukee may be able to rest a little easier. Even without him for the first game, the Bucks have to be feeling much more confident entering this matchup.

It remains to be seen what type of impact Lillard will be able to give the Bucks, but this is incredible news for the team. The star guard has been out for weeks while dealing with this injury, but there has been some level of hope that he could be cleared to play again this season.

More Bucks news:

NBA Insider Reveals Big Reason Bucks' Damian Lillard Absence Won't Doom Bucks

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'Don't Tackle Anybody,' Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo Offers Hilarious Playoff Advice

For more news and notes on the Milwaukee Bucks, head on over to Milwaukee Bucks on SI.

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Matt Levine
MATT LEVINE

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