Damian Lillard Injury Update: Milwaukee Bucks Superstar Ruled Out Against Indiana Pacers Following Calf Injury

Damian Lillard is out for the Bucks vs. Pacers game, Giannis Antetokounmpo will play. Lillard's calf injury has troubled him.

The Milwaukee Bucks have announced that Damian Lillard will not be playing in Thursday night's game against the Indiana Pacers due to a calf injury that has been bothering him since his time with the Portland Trail Blazers last season. However, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was questionable, will be playing.

In their previous game against the Detroit Pistons, the Bucks secured a 120-118 victory with Lillard as the standout performer, scoring 34 points and providing three assists. This was necessary as Antetokounmpo was ejected early in the third period, forcing Lillard to take on most of the scoring load for the team.

Last season, Lillard's calf injury caused him trouble during the latter part of the season, leading the Blazers to shut him down and ultimately miss the playoffs. This situation also allowed the team to secure a lottery pick and draft Scoot Henderson.

NBA insider Shams Charania reported that the Portland Trail Blazers were considering shutting down Lillard for the final nine games of the season due to his calf injury and the team's position in the Play-In Tournament race.

Since joining the Bucks, Lillard has been slowly finding his rhythm on the court, averaging 24.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.7 assists.

The conclusion of Lillard's time with the Portland Trail Blazers did not unfold as fans had anticipated. After 11 seasons with the team, Lillard requested a trade to a contending team, a process that involved negotiations with various other teams, mainly focusing on the Miami Heat.

Blazers coach Chauncey Billups remains hopeful that Lillard and the organization can find a way to reconcile, but the timing of such a reconciliation remains uncertain.

Billups stated, "Sooner or later, talks will be had. Emotions will settle, and that will heal itself. I truly believe that. At the end of the day, what Dame did for the organization has never been done before. He's going to go down as the greatest. And also, what this organization did for Dame was incredible. They had an incredible two-way relationship for the entire time."

The Blazers are now focused on developing their young talent to make a return to the postseason.

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