Doc Rivers expressed renewed optimism that Damian Lillard could return to the Milwaukee Bucks from deep vein thrombosis in his right calf before the end of the season, though the team is simultaneously preparing for postseason scenarios without their star guard.
“We have much more hope today than we did three days ago,” Rivers said before Thursday’s game against Philadelphia.
Lillard has missed eight consecutive games since being diagnosed with the blood clot issue. Despite receiving what Rivers described as a “great report” on his recovery, Lillard did not travel with the team due to concerns about how flying might affect his condition.
The Bucks announced last week that Lillard would be out indefinitely, a notably different approach than the San Antonio Spurs took with Victor Wembanyama, who was ruled out for the season in February after being diagnosed with similar thrombosis in his shoulder. With the regular season ending in 10 days and playoffs beginning shortly after, the timeline remains uncertain for Lillard’s potential return.
Rivers acknowledged that the team must focus on adapting their approach without Lillard, who is in his second season with the Bucks and is averaging 24.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 7.1 assists. Because Lillard turns 35 this offseason, the Bucks have a fairly narrow window of contention.
“You work on what we don’t have… because there’s no guarantee we are going to have him,” Rivers said. “We get him back, we know how to play. But we don’t know how to play in the long term without him.”