Is Damian Lillard playing tonight against New York Knicks? Latest update on 7-time NBA All-Star's availability (Dec. 25)
Damian Lillard and the Milwaukee Bucks kick off the 2023 NBA Christmas Games as they take on the New York Knicks at the basketball mecca, Madison Square Garden. This is the fourth and last time these teams will meet in the 2023-24 season, with the Bucks winning all three matchups so far.
The tip-off begins at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time and it will be shown exclusively in ESPN. NBA League Pass subscribers can also enjoy the matchup through an online livestream.
As per the Bucks' injury report, they have Giannis Antetokounmpo marked as 'probable' vs the Knicks while Jae Crowder is expected to be back on the team by mid-January.
Lillard and the rest of the Bucks roster are made available against the Knicks. The team is second in the NBA Eastern Conference standings with a record of 22-7 and is riding a seven-game winning streak.
What happened to Damian Lillard?
Since coming to the Milwaukee Bucks this season, Damian Lillard has only missed two games, on November 9 and 11. The team lost both games as the seven-time NBA All-Star took time to heal from his calf injury.
It is also reported that Lillard had a leg injury on November 21 but was not ruled out to play. His health has been monitored closely by the Bucks medical staff, as he is an integral part of the team's success in the 2023-24 season.
Damian Lillard stats vs New York Knicks
The last time the Bucks faced the Knicks was on December 23, and witnessed the Knicks securing a 130-111 victory.
In that game, Damian Lillard had 19 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and three triples while shooting 6-of-16 from the field.
This was not the highest-scoring output of Lillard against the Knicks since coming to Milwaukee. On November 3, he fired 30 points while also having four assists, four rebounds and four 3-pointers.
On December 5, Damian Lillard provided the Bucks, 28 points, seven assists, three rebounds and five 3-pointers.
So far this season, the veteran point guard has been giving the Bucks 26.0 points, 7.0 assists, 4.7 rebounds in 27 games.