DENVER — Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers expressed confidence that the Bucks may stay aggressive with out Damian Lillard however acknowledged it would take multiple players to decide up the slack whereas the seven-time all-NBA guard is out.
The Bucks introduced Tuesday that Lillard has deep vein thrombosis in his proper calf and is taking blood-thinning medicine. Thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel.
“You hear the phrase blood clot…that’s not an excellent phrase, not solely simply in sports activities, however life,” Rivers stated earlier than the Bucks’ recreation Wednesday evening in opposition to the Denver Nuggets.
Lillard missed a fourth straight recreation Wednesday, and the Bucks haven’t indicated when he would possibly return.
“We’re hopeful that he’s coming again,” Rivers stated. “It’s a blow to us, clearly. It’s extra of a blow to Dame. That’s the place the emotional support goes. Guys get to play at the moment. Dame doesn’t, so to me, the man I strive to support extra is Dame. We’re simply hopeful. It’s such a grey space. That’s the place extra of the support comes proper now. Clearly if this lingers, that’s completely different. However at the moment and proper now, it’s all about Dame.”
The Bucks additionally performed Wednesday with out two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who’s coping with a sprained left foot. However it’s the Lillard scenario that has the larger long-term implications due to its severity.
Lillard, 34, is the second high-profile participant to be sidelined this season due to DVT.
Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs was recognized with it in his shoulder after he returned from the All-Star Recreation final month and was rapidly dominated out for the season. He, like Lillard, is on blood-thinning medicine, however medical doctors have assured the Spurs that there isn’t a concern for Wembanyama’s long-term well being.
“I used to be actually happy with our medical group,” Rivers stated. “They did all the pieces. I don’t know what number of medical doctors we talked to. I don’t need to see one other physician for a very long time or discuss to one other one. The due diligence was all there. It made Dame really feel snug, which is what we had been making an attempt to obtain and a very powerful a part of it.”
Lillard entered Wednesday’s motion ranked tenth in assists (7.1) and eleventh in scoring (24.9). Rivers acknowledged the enormity of the duty Milwaukee faces in changing his production.
“It’s going to be a committee,” Rivers stated. “It’s not going to be one man. It’s not even going to be Ryan (Rollins) and simply Scoot (Kevin Porter Jr.). It’s going to be a bunch of men. You’re not going to replace what Dame does. We could give you the chance to do various things. Defensively, we could do various things, offensively. That is a part of it. Everybody goes by way of them. Clearly, nothing like this, however we’ll determine it out. I’m very assured in our group.”
Milwaukee entered Wednesday in a digital tie with the Detroit Pistons for fifth place within the Japanese Convention standings, two video games behind the Indiana Pacers. The highest 4 groups within the convention earn home-court benefit for the primary spherical of the playoffs.
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