Damian Lillard Cleared from Deep Vein Thrombosis

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Damian Lillard is cleared of his deep vein thrombosis and will in the near future resume on-court activities. 

Lillard, 34, made his ninth all-star team this February, and averaged 24.9 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.7 rebounds on 45% shooting in 58 games. Lillard has not played since March 18, a 103-94 loss at Chase Center to the Golden State Warriors. Lillard was 6-for-18 for 16 points in 38 minutes in that game. 

The impending return of the Hall-of-Fame bound guard is huge news for the Bucks, who will at the least have Lillard for the latter half of their series against the Indiana Pacers, who boast one of the league’s best point guards in Tyrese Haliburton. Averaging 117.4 points per game in the regular season, the Pacers rank 7th in the league in that department, while Rick Carlisle’s group is also in the top 10 in field-goal percentage (48.8, 3rd) and 3-point percentage (36.8, 9th).

The Bucks’ 115.5 average, 11th in the NBA in the regular season, will get an uptick with Lillard’s return, bringing back needed firepower against one of the top offenses in the NBA. Last spring, in four games against the Pacers, Lillard scored 35, 34, 28, and 28 in the Bucks’ six-game loss in the first round. Lillard shot poorly over the last two games of that series, just 13-for-36. In his playoff career, he has shot 41% from the field.