Bucks star Damian Lillard making return vs Bulls after 4-game absence
12/28/2024 02:00 PM
After missing four games due to injury, Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard will make his return against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday. Lillard in the Bucks and Bulls matchup will be his first appearance since Milwaukee beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Cup finals.
The news of Lillard's return was confirmed via Chris Haynes.
"Bucks star Damian Lillard (calf, illness) will make his return tonight against the Chicago Bulls after sitting out the previous four contests," Haynes reported.
After a calf injury forced him to miss games against the Cavaliers, Wizards, and Bulls, a non-Covid illness led to his missing the Bucks' last matchup against the Nets. Without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Lillard, Milwaukee lost to the Nets 111-105.
Damian Lillard sends a message to Bucks' early-season critics
Damian Lillard shined in the Bucks' NBA Cup final victory against the Thunder but hasn't seen the floor since December 17. Lillard finished with 23 points, four rebounds, and four assists, sending a message to Milwaukee's harshest critics amid a lackluster 2024-25 campaign start.
Lillard believes the Bucks have found their stride, per ESPN's Jamal Collier.
"We've shown the team we started the season as is not the team that we are now," Lillard said. "And it was never who we truly were. Just got off to a tough start."
The Bucks are 6-4 in their last ten outings and have improved to 16-13 on the regular season. They're trailing the Magic for fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings. However, with upcoming matchups against the Bulls, Pacers, who just lost back-to-back games to the Thunder and Celtics, and the Trail Blazers, the Bucks could use this upcoming four-game stretch to pick up momentum.
Head coach Doc Rivers and the Bucks have an opportunity to cement themselves into the Eastern Conference's upper echelon amid the new calendar year.
The post Bucks star Damian Lillard making return vs Bulls after 4-game absence appeared first on ClutchPoints.
