Just ten games are left in the Boston Celtics regular season, as the team avoided a devastating injury to superstar Jayson Tatum in Monday's win against the Kings.
Sitting comfortably in the East's No.2 Seed, Boston will be cautious with Tatum, as well as their other stars, to close the regular season. He is listed as doubtful for Wednesday night's game against the Suns.
While the Celtics should have all hands on deck for the playoffs, an Eastern Conference rival was dealt with some scary and devastating injury news to one of their stars on Tuesday evening.
Bucks' Damian Lillard Out Indefinitely with Blood Clot in Right Calf
The injury to Lillard couldn't have come at a worse time for the Bucks, who are battling the Detroit Pistons for the No.5 seed in the East with 11 games left on their schedule.
ESPN's Shams Charania reported the news on Tuesday, and there is no timetable for Lillard's return.
Milwaukee Bucks: Damian Lillard has sustained a deep vein thrombosis (blood clot) in his right calf. Lillard is on blood-thinning medication, which has stabilized the blood clot, and will continue with regular testing. He is out indefinite period. pic.twitter.com/CC7k9bXnZV
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 26, 2025
Lillard hasn't played since March 18th and was ruled out with a calf injury for three games prior to the blood clot diagnosis.
Bucks general manager Jon Horst provided a statement on the Lillard situation, and the Bucks could see the nine-time All-Star back on the court for the playoffs if all goes well.
"We will support him as he moves through this weekly process of strict criteria to ensure that it is safe for him to return to play. Doctors have indicated that his situation is very unlikely to occur again. We are thankful that this was identified and medicated quickly, which helps with the recovery."Bucks GM Jon Horst
The Bucks have to be cautious with this type of injury, as Lillard's return won't come until he is fully ready to go. Blood clots are not something a player can be rushed back from as one of the scariest injuries in sports.
The same injury ultimately ended the playing career of Chris Bosh back in 2016, and this year, ended Spurs star Victor Wembanyama's season in late February. While the injury may not end Lillard's season, it will be a week-to-week process for Milwaukee to see where Dame is at in his recovery.
This season, Lillard has averaged 24.9 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.7 rebounds on 44.8% field goal and 37.6% three-point shooting splits. He and Giannis Antetokounmpo provide one of the best duos in the NBA and would be a tough tandem to guard for any team come playoff time.
Losing a player of Lillard's caliber for any amount of time is devastating for the Bucks, especially now, with under a month left until the first-round playoff series begins on April 19th.
As it stands right now, the Bucks are going to be slotted into the East's 4, 5 or 6 seed. The Pacers, Bucks, and Pistons are only separated by two games, but Lillard's absence could have Milwaukee losing games and dropping down to sixth.
The Celtics wouldn't see the Bucks until the second round at the earliest if the teams matched up, as the Damian Lillard situation will be one to keep an eye on as the regular season winds down.
The Celtics are in the midst of a six-game road trip as they take on the Suns on Wednesday.