For weeks, Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard has been dealing with deep vein thrombosis, which has clouded his availability with the NBA Playoffs on the horizon.
Of course, Lillard's availability for the Bucks was never the most important thing here, as a blood clot is something that could have impacted far more than just his NBA career. However, there have been whispers for a while that the star guard could return this season, but many wondered if it would take an incredibly deep playoff run to see him again, perhaps even the Eastern Conference Finals.
Well, in a "historic" development, Lillard's return could come sooner than anyone initially anticipated, giving the Milwaukee Bucks good news before the postseason kicks off in a few short days.
Latest Damian Lillard update should have Milwaukee Bucks elated
Per ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania, Lillard has been cleared of his deep vein thrombosis and is no longer on his blood-thinning medication. Charania called it a "Remarkable and historic development to clear from the blood clot in just over 3 weeks" that doctors had never seen before. While Lillard will be out for Game 1 against the Indiana Pacers, there is no certainty beyond that just yet.
Obviously, getting Lillard back would be great for the Milwaukee Bucks. He's the team's second-best player behind Giannis Antetokounmpo and a player who can undoubtedly help in the chase for a title. This season, the guard is averaging 24.9 points, 7.1 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals per contest. Adding a superstar player like that into the playoff rotation could be a significant shot in the arm.
To go all the way this season, the Milwaukee Bucks need Damian Lillard. Though they finished out the regular season on a high note, riding an eight-game win streak without Lillard, the NBA Playoffs are a different animal, and having one of the NBA's best big shot makers will certainly help. Even if he needs a little time to regain his footing, it's great that Lillard coming back is even a discussion at this point.
All Milwaukee Bucks fans will now anxiously await updates on Lillard's availability after the opening matchup of this series, which kicks off Saturday. With Bobby Portis back from his suspension and Doc Rivers confirming that Jericho Sims should be ready to roll in Game 1, getting Damian Lillard back would give the Milwaukee Bucks the healthiest roster they've had in a long time.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.