The Milwaukee Bucks went into Game 1 against the Indiana Pacers without star guard Damian Lillard. He’s been dealing with a blood clot in his calf for a little while now, but reports say his return is right around the corner.
The Bucks shouldn’t rush him back, especially considering how severe blood clots can be. But they’re going to need him on the floor if they want to get past the Pacers and make any real postseason run. Game 1 made that clear. Without Dame, Milwaukee just doesn’t have the firepower.
Damian Lillard Will Return for Either Game 2 or Game 3 vs. Pacers
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Lillard is expected to return in either Game 2 in Indiana or Game 3 back in Milwaukee. He also said Lillard’s blood clot is no longer a concern and that the Bucks are focusing on getting his conditioning right so he can play at full strength.
When Lillard steps back on the court, it’ll mark the first time he and Giannis Antetokounmpo have played together in the playoffs since becoming teammates. That Antetokounmpo missed the Bucks’ 2024 playoff run with a calf injury, and Lillard’s current issue popped up just as this year’s postseason was getting started.
Milwaukee didn’t stand much of a chance last season, and they didn’t look great in Game 1 this time either. The Pacers sent a clear message with their dominant win: The Bucks aren’t beating them without Lillard. Milwaukee made a few runs, but Indiana never lost control of the game. They kept their foot on the gas and pulled away in the second half.
Now the pressure’s on. This is the team Milwaukee built to win a title. Pairing Giannis and Dame was supposed to take them back to the Finals. But so far, the chemistry hasn’t quite clicked. Even a full season under Doc Rivers didn’t fix it. The Bucks also tried to shake things up by trading for Kyle Kuzma and Kevin Porter Jr., but that hasn’t changed the results either.
The reality is the clock is ticking. This could be the Bucks’ last chance to prove that putting these two stars together was the right move. Getting revenge on the Pacers would be a solid start, but just getting out of the first round isn’t enough. If this team wants to be taken seriously, they’ll have to go a lot further than that. Every game matters now.