In a press release, the Milwaukee Bucks announced Lillard's injury due to a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in his right calf. This resulted in the formation of a blood clot in a deep vein located in his right calf. Lillard will be out for the remainder of the NBA regular season.
This is the second consecutive season in which the American point guard has not finished the season due to physical issues. Last season, Lillard played only 69 games until a left knee problem arose. Although the player recovered and participated in the playoffs with the team, he was sidelined after Game 4 of the First Round against the Indiana Pacers, where the absence of his two stars caused Milwaukee to be eliminated.
Damian Lillard has been diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis (blood clot) in his right calf and is out indefinitely
Lillard is on blood-thinning medication, which has stabilized the blood clot, and will continue with regular testing pic.twitter.com/0wlYbZl8hD
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 26, 2025
Damian Lillard's absence ends a significant part of the team's NBA title hopes. Currently, the Milwaukee Bucks are sitting at 40-33, placing them sixth in the Eastern Conference and just six wins away from securing a playoff berth.
The Bucks were positioned as one of the favorites to contend for the final playoff spots, especially with the arrival of Kyle Kuzma to the roster during free agency. Now, with Lillard's absence, the team is significantly weakened offensively, given that the American averaged 18.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 6.7 assists, leading the team in assists. He achieved these numbers in the 60 games he played this season.
Who will fill Lillard's shoes in Milwaukee?
Point guard Gary Trent Jr. has benefited the most from this situation, although, being his first year with the team, he hasn't been able to fully showcase his talent and adequately replace the Milwaukee superstar.
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