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Bucks Make Damian Lillard Injury Announcement Before Pistons Matchup

The Detroit Pistons' Wednesday night opponent might be without a star player.
Justin Grasso|
Jan 20, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) dribbles defended by Detroit Pistons guard Alec Burks (14) in the second half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Jan 20, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) dribbles defended by Detroit Pistons guard Alec Burks (14) in the second half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

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When the Detroit Pistons take on the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, there is a chance Damian Lillard could be out for the night.

According to NBA Insider Chris Haynes, Lillard has entered the NBA’s concussion protocol. With the Bucks set to join the rest of the league in firing up their first installment of NBA Cup group play, they’ll have to compete without Lillard on the court. He’s already been ruled out for Tuesday’s game against the Toronto Raptors.

The loss of Lillard is a tough blow for the Bucks. Shockingly, they’ve been one of the most notable teams to struggle to begin the 2024-2025 season. With the Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo duo, the Bucks were expected to be championship contenders in 2025.

However, the Bucks are sitting in 14th place in the Eastern Conference. They hold a 2-8 record, with only the Toronto Raptors sitting behind them. The loss of Lillard could certainly put them in an even tougher spot moving forward.

Lillard has appeared in ten games this season. Spending roughly 36 minutes on the floor per game, the veteran guard has produced 26 points per game on 44 percent shooting from the field. From deep, Lillard has knocked down 35 percent of his threes while attempting nearly ten shots from deep per outing.

After getting traded to the Bucks from the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2023 offseason, Lillard had the chance to play most of the 2023-2023 season for Milwaukee. He missed just nine games during the regular season last year. In that time, the Bucks lost all but one of their games without him.

Meanwhile, against Detroit, Lillard has faced the Pistons 22 times in his career. Overall, he averaged 25 points, eight assists, and five rebounds against the Pistons. As a member of the Bucks, Lillard averaged over 30 points against the Pistons and had a 45-point double-double in Detroit back in January.

The Bucks haven’t put a timeline on Lillard’s return just yet, but there is a chance he could miss Wednesday’s action against the Pistons. The Pistons will travel to Milwaukee after hosting the Miami Heat on Tuesday night.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia

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