So Milwaukee Bucks are quite literally, in a sticky wicket. Their star point guard, Damian Lillard, is out indefinitely due to a blood clot in his calf. This is a tough break for the Bucks. Meanwhile, they’re in a dogfight with nine other teams competing for a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference standings. Unlike Milwaukee, who’s hit the skids recently, losing three of their last five contests. As a result, they’ve lost six of their past ten games. With the regular season quickly coming to a close, the Bucks have just 11 games left to get their footing in place.
The addition of Lillard has already shown to drastically change the Bucks’ scoring potential. With Lillard sitting, Milwaukee only averages 108.5 PPG, which is quite a contrast to the 115.7 PPG they average with him on the court. This decline in offensive production further emphasizes just how integral Lillard is to the team’s chemistry. So far, the Bucks are 8-5 without Lillard this season—an impressive feat considering how much he’s missed.
This marks the second consecutive season where the Bucks are dealing with a major injury as they approach the playoffs. It was similar to last season, when Giannis Antetokounmpo missed the whole first-round series loss to the Pacers with a calf injury. In much the same way, Lillard would miss ten days last December after straining his right calf. Now he’s on continuous blood-thinning medication to keep the clot stable.
Her team’s predicament hit home for all teams experiencing their own unrelenting, innovative injury plague circumstances. Earlier this year, the San Antonio Spurs had to shut down their star big man Victor Wembanyama after he was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.
"Damian's health is our No. 1 priority," said Jon Horst, reflecting the team's commitment to ensuring their player's well-being over immediate competitive success.
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