The playoffs drama is set to begin soon. Teams are getting ready to play their best basketball of the season. And you know what this means- all the stars will be pumped up and preparing for war on the court. But there’s a popular figure set to be missing the initial part of the playoffs- and that’s Bucks guard Damian Lillard. It’s definitely not what the Doc ordered.

Despite making “significant progress” with his blood clot issue, Lillard will not play in Game 1 in Indiana. But ESPN’s Shams Charania has quashed all hopes that Doc Rivers had of their star point guard returning on the eve of the post season. Without Lillard, the Bucks are without their primary backcourt threat and a go-to scorer in clutch moments—something the team noticeably lacks in his absence. And it seems like they’ll have to wait to hear more about the 34-year-old’s progress.

“Damian’s most recent weekly scan shows that his injury has significantly improved which will enable him to move ahead safely with increased basketball activity,” said Bucks General Manager Jon Horst in a tweet. “Damian’s health remains our No. 1 priority. We have followed strict protocols and will continue to do so. We are pleased with the positive news about Damian’s progress.”

He ain’t like the great Notre Dame of Portland anymore. But his experience speaks volumes. He still boasts a 24.9/4.7/7.1 statline while shooting 44.8% from the field. Giannis Antetokounmpo is in dire need of some support in the team. And Dame provides just that. But turns out that supporting cast won’t be turning upto the red carpet of the first playoff game in Indiana.

What’s worse is that this sparks a deja vu that Doc Rivers didn’t need heading into the post season. Last year it was the Giannis, this year it’s Lillard. And if the deja vu plays out completely, the same fate could follow for the Bucks.

Damian Lillard injury mirrors Giannis Antetokounmpo’s playoffs injury from the previous year

Let’s take a walk down memory lane for a bit. A year ago, the Bucks finished 3rd in the East. This meant that they faced the Pacers in the first round of the playoffs. They’re the 2021 champions right? Ideally, nothing should scare them. But then a sickening reality hit them like a freight train- Giannis got ruled out due to a left calf strain, and didn’t play the first round. They subsequently lost the series 4-2. And guess what- that marked the second straight season in which Milwaukee has lost in the first round of the playoffs with its two-time MVP limited by injuries. This added to the growing concerns of an overdependence on their Greek Freak, that still runs to this day.

It’s actually Damian Lillard this time around, so it might not be as bad as losing Giannis. But it sparks an eerie deja vu that could come back to haunt Doc Rivers. The Milwaukee star has been sidelined due to a blood clot injury since March 18th. Their record in his absence isn’t too bad- winning 10-of-15 games with Dame Time on pause. But the playoffs are a fully different beast. They’d ideally want their stard guard fit and ready to take on an Indiana team with an 8-2 record to end the season. Much to the dismay of Doc, that won’t be happening.

There’s no clear date as to when Damian Lillard could return. Their first playoff game against the Pacers is on April 18th, which he is going to miss. But there’s one thing to note: The report says ‘start of the NBA playoffs’, and not ‘the first game’. This only makes Doc Rivers’ headache worse- as the scripture could speak of Dame missing more matches heading into the first round. Only time will tell what the true story is. Stay tuned.