Milwaukee Bucks: Midseason injury report cards

Mirza Teletovic

The curious case of Mirza Teletovic has been a sizable talking point for Bucks fandom this season. Teletovic shot out of the gates, shooting close to 47 percent from three on close to five shots per contest during his first 10 games.

He was then pulled from the lineup indefinitely with left knee soreness with no set return date. Shortly after, it was announced that Teletovic had undergone arthroscopic surgery on his left knee to clean up damaged cartilage.

Close to one month later, a report was released that Teletovic had been diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening pulmonary emboli in his lungs and that he would remain out of the team indefinitely.

So what is a pulmonary emboli in the lungs? Essentially, it is a blood clot which has originated elsewhere in the body and has been transported to the lungs where it has partially blocked the vein. It can certainly be life-threatening if not treated and thankfully, it appears every step has been taken to ensure Teletovic’s health in this instance.

A lot of research has been undertaken in this area and the current belief is that blood clots often originate in the lower limb with muscle tears being a possible cause. In this instance, Teletovic suffered from the same issue back in 2015 with the Brooklyn Nets, meaning the knee surgery came with a much greater risk of recurrence.

As far as a return date is concerned, look no further than Chris Bosh’s current state to see how debilitating this condition can be. There is a chance Teletovic could never play again and quite frankly, perhaps that is what is best for Teletovic. A return to sports plan should never be put ahead of the overall health of the player.

At the bare minimum, Teletovic is likely done for this season and will be re-evaluated over the offseason. As for right now however, Teletovic’s long term health should be priority for both the team and the player and it appears the Bucks are focusing on exactly that.