Bucks’ Damian Lillard upgraded to questionable for Game 2 vs. Pacers

As the Milwaukee Bucks look to bounce back from a Game 1 loss against the Indiana Pacers, they could be getting a key reinforcement.

Damian Lillard was upgraded to questionable for Game 2 on Tuesday as he works through his return to competition conditioning, the team announced Monday.

Lillard hasn’t played since March 18. Shortly thereafter, the Bucks announced that the seven-time all-star was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis. He was placed on blood-thinning medication, with his return timeline unclear.

But the 34-year-old experienced a breakthrough last week when he came off the blood thinners and was cleared for full basketball activity. He participated in practice last Thursday ahead of the Bucks’ first-round series opener.

Milwaukee went 3-1 against the Pacers during the regular season. Lillard played in each of those four games and averaged 18.3 points, 9.3 assists and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 35.5 per cent overall and 38.9 per cent from three-point range.

The possibility that Lillard could play again so soon is a remarkable development, considering how long it has sidelined other players in the past.

Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs was diagnosed with DVT in his shoulder after he returned from the All-Star Game last month and was quickly ruled out for the season. Doctors have assured the Spurs that there is no concern for Wembanyama’s long-term health.

Hall of Famer Chris Bosh’s career was cut short after he was diagnosed with blood clots while playing with Miami. Brandon Ingram, now with the Toronto Raptors, had his 2018-19 season end early because of deep vein thrombosis when he was with the Los Angeles Lakers. Detroit’s Ausar Thompson had a clot issue that saw him miss the end of the 2023-24 season.

— With files from Associated Press