All of us awaiting news on Damian Lillard’s calf strain (as revealed yesterday from imaging, reported by Jim Owczarski of the JS) have something from the team. After getting some more info today, the Bucks just gave a medical update on Lillard:
Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard has been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in his right calf. In ensuring his health and beginning the process for a healthy return to play, Lillard is on blood-thinning medication, which has stabilized the DVT, and will continue with regular testing.
“Damian’s health is our No. 1 priority,” said Bucks General Manager Jon Horst. “We will support him as he moves through this weekly process of strict criteria to ensure that it is safe for him to return to play. Doctors have indicated that his situation is very unlikely to occur again. We are thankful that this was identified and medicated quickly, which helps with the recovery.”
The team will provide updates as appropriate.
If you’re looking for any sort of timeline, we’re still waiting on something more concrete. Shams Charania of ESPN says he is “out indefinitely.” DVT is a common issue that affects people from all walks of life, not just pro athletes, and is potentially a dangerous condition. It’s essentially blood clotting, and chronic issues with that have affected many players’ careers, most notably Chris Bosh. However, that was a more serious condition than DVT.
Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes has an article from 2019 about DVT as it affected then-Laker Brandon Ingram. It kept him out for the final 17 games of that season, but he’s had no issues since. However, he notes that athletes who are on blood thinners are “usually withheld from sports until they are off the medication and all the existing clots have been absorbed. This usually occurs between three to six months from the start of medication.” Cross all your digits that Dame can get off the thinners sooner.
The Bucks sit at 40-31, currently good for 5th in the Eastern Conference. With 11 games remaining before the playoffs, it’s not an optimal time to be missing one of their star players (although there is no optimal time to face health issues). The hope is that Dame can return in time for the playoffs—but the aforementioned timeline doesn’t bode well.
The mixed bag of the ongoing West Coast road trip underscores the importance of Dame to this team. With Giannis as the sole star, they face a paradox: giving Giannis the ball 11 times out of 10 because he’s the main offensive threat can both galvanize the offense and annihilate ball movement. The Bucks will have to ensure that Giannis remains effective while incorporating the supporting cast—perhaps they can look into our own Riley Feldmann’s analysis of their offensive paralysis to that end. In particular, Dame’s absence opens up opportunities for our stable of guards to get more run before the playoffs, which won’t hurt. I suppose the defense will be better, but that’s not much consolation.
We wish Dame a quick and healthful recovery.