There was a time when it was unthinkable to suggest Damian Lillard would ever leave the Portland Trail Blazers. For 11 years, Dame Dolla was one of a dying breed of one-club players that might begin and end their careers with the same team.

A timeline for Lillard’s return has yet to be disclosed by the Bucks, with the star point guard being ruled out for Game 1 of Milwaukee’s playoff series against the Pacers. In a positive step, he did return to practice on Thursday.

With the Bucks already trailing after a convincing Game 1 victory for the Indiana Pacers, Damian Lillard is set to return for Milwaukee at the perfect time. Dame was a huge get for the Bucks after bringing him in from the Portland Trail Blazers in 2023, and prior to being sidelined this season he was averaging nearly 25 points per game.