Bucks Head Coach Doc Rivers Provides Troubling Injury Update on Damian Lillard

When will the eight-time All-Star be back?

Dec 17, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) dribbles against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) during the 4th quarter in the Emirates NBA Cup championship game at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images / Candice Ward-Imagn Images

After dealing with some tension in his calf following the Milwaukee Bucks' NBA Cup semifinal tilt against the Atlanta Hawks, eight-time All-Star point guard Damian Lillard suited up for Milwaukee's eventual 97-81 blowout NBA Cup championship victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder and looked like his typical self.

In 35:21 of action, the 6-foot-2 superstar scored 23 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field (5-of-10 from deep) and 6-of-7 shooting from the foul line, while also chipping in four assists, four rebounds, and one steal.

Now, he's struggling with what's being reported as a calf strain, and is sitting out the team's ongoing Friday night matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers, while his status for Saturday's clash with the Washington Wizards is unclear.

During a Friday evening interview with The Athletic's Eric Nehm, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers supplied a fairly ominous update on the ailment.

"I just know after the [NBA Cup championship] game, the next day basically, they told me that we needed him to sit for a minute, so we'll see," Rivers said.

"It didn't hurt during the game," Rivers said. "We took him out once though. He looked like he was favoring it, but he wanted to go back in, but other than that, no."

When asked about a potential return timeline for Lillard was projected to be, Rivers was his typic, brutally honest self. "I have no idea," Rivers said. "My guess — I'm guessing like you guys — it's a strain. I don't think it's a severe one, but I think we're going to be cautious."

Rivers was then asked if the team's decision to play Lillard was made in part because it had sent former three-time All-Star small forward Khris Middleton home with a lingering non-COVID-19 illness.

"No, I don't think that had anything to do with it," Rivers said. "Those are two separate things. If that would have been a regular season game, Dame would have played in the game. We would never put a guy on the floor because the league wants us to put him on the floor because it then matters. It's the long haul for us."

The 14-11 Bucks are currently on the road Friday, in the first quarter of a clash against the Eastern Conference's No. 1 seed, the 23-4 Cleveland Cavaliers. Milwaukee trails, 17-108, midway through the frame.

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