Doc Rivers gives massive update on Damian Lillard's health amid Bucks' 4-game losing streak - "He's done some shooting"

With the Damian Lillard-less Milwaukee Bucks aiming to snap their four-game losing streak, coach Doc Rivers provided an update on his star point guard's status.

On March 25, Lillard was ruled out indefinitely with deep vein thrombosis (blood clot) in his right calf. The diagnosis came after he missed the previous three games due to right calf soreness.

The Bucks won their first two contests with the nine-time All-Star sidelined. However, they have since dropped four consecutive outings, most recently getting blown out 145-124 during Sunday's home matchup against the Atlanta Hawks.

Amid its losing skid, Milwaukee (40-34) dropped to sixth in the Eastern Conference entering Tuesday, pressuring the team to get back on track.

It appears the Bucks will have to continue trudging forward without Lillard for the foreseeable future. Ahead of Tuesday's home clash against the Phoenix Suns, Rivers noted that his squad's second-leading scorer (24.9 points per game) has been limited to shooting drills.

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"He's done some shooting. They have a level where he can get to that's safe, and he's doing that, but it's still not basketball," Rivers said. "It's not the intensity level of an NBA player, so it's just hard. It's hard for him. It's probably hard for our guys."

With just eight games remaining, Milwaukee may be forced to enter the playoffs/Play-In without Lillard. Such a scenario would likely place a heavy burden on superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo to carry his team offensively as a potential underdog.

Through 16 contests sans Lillard, the Bucks are 8-8. Conversely, they are 32-26 across his 58 appearances.

In Lillard's absence, third-year point guard Ryan Rollins and trade deadline acquisition Kevin Porter Jr. have been among their primary ball handlers.

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Bucks co-owner Wes Edens hopeful team can overcome Damian Lillard's injury

While Damian Lillard's injury setback has arguably hindered Milwaukee's postseason prospects, team co-owner Wes Edens remains "optimistic."

During an interview with The Athletic published Tuesday, Edens highlighted the importance of Lillard prioritizing getting "healthy as a person."

Edens added that a Giannis Antetokounmpo-led core still has the potential to make noise in the East.

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"I'm optimistic that with Giannis and his leadership and the other players that we've got, we've got a strong core, and so let's play with it," Edens said. "... I'm optimistic this team can make a real run of it, so let's see."

Milwaukee is currently slated to face the New York Knicks (47-27) in the playoffs' first round. It is 0-3 against New York this season.

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