“Dame Time” might not apply to the Milwaukee Bucks making a deep postseason run.
The Bucks are in a virtual tie for fifth place with the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference with 11 games left in the regular season.
The Pistons being tied with Milwaukee is a sign of a huge rise for Detroit. But the Bucks being knotted with the Pistons is a sign of decline for Milwaukee.
The latest signal that things are going to be tough for Milwaukee is the news that Damian Lillard was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf.
Having a blood clot anywhere is a serious medical issue.
Lillard is taking blood-thinning medication in hopes of resolving the issue, but there is no clear timetable for his return. The Bucks have not announced an anticipated return date for Lillard.
So far, Lillard has missed three games for the Bucks (40-31), who were expected to contend for the top spot in the Eastern Conference this season.
Instead, Milwaukee is 17 1/2 games behind the East-leading Cleveland Cavaliers.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo and Lillard as a stellar combo, a 50-win campaign seemed likely.
Yet right now, Milwaukee looks like a squad that could be facing a third straight first-round exit.
The odds of an early exit increase if Lillard does not regain his health.
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was diagnosed with a blood clot in his shoulder right after the All-Star break in mid-February and was immediately shut down for the season.
Perhaps the most glaring case of blood clots in the NBA involved Chris Bosh, who played his final game at age 31 due to multiple episodes. Bosh, a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer, certainly would have preferred to retire on his own terms.
As for Milwaukee’s struggles, don’t forget that the Bucks won the NBA title in the 2020-21 season under coach Mike Budenholzer.
Two seasons later, Budenholzer was fired after a 58-win season in which top-seeded Milwaukee lost to the eighth-seeded Miami Heat in the first round.
The following season, Milwaukee fired coach Adrian Griffin with a 30-13 record and installed Doc Rivers as head coach.
The Bucks seemed to regress under Rivers, going 17-19 in the regular season. Then they went down in the first round again, falling to the Indiana Pacers in six games.
Rivers had a full offseason to implement his plan, so there should be no excuses. He has Antetokounmpo and Lillard on his roster. Both players are nine-time All-Stars, and every coach would like a duo like that.
It is safe to say Giannis is not the problem. The two-time MVP is averaging 30.2 points, 12.0 rebounds and 5.9 assists while always giving a top-notch effort.
Lillard is cut from the same cloth. He is averaging 24.9 points, 7.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds.
But much more is at stake for Lillard. Giannis has his ring.
Lillard forced his way out of Portland after 11 seasons when the Trail Blazers were transitioning to a younger roster. He requested a trade after Portland used the third overall pick in the 2023 draft on Scoot Henderson instead of trading it for a veteran.
Lillard’s biggest goal is winning an NBA title. He has earned plenty of money and accolades. He will forever be remembered for his 36-foot, buzzer-beating 3-pointer that eliminated the Oklahoma City Thunder from the 2019 playoffs. He scored 50 points that night.
Portland was eventually eliminated in the Western Conference finals — the furthest advancement of the Lillard era.
Lillard turns 35 in July, and playing 35-plus minutes per game will not last forever.
He surely does not want to make another move. He is on a team with Antetokounmpo, a player who complements his style.
For whatever reason, the Bucks are not clicking. Perhaps Rivers is not pushing the right buttons with the rest of the roster.
Maybe things improve in the next few weeks. Maybe Lillard returns to full health. You never know.
But right now, it is not looking like “Dame Time” in Milwaukee this season.
