The Milwaukee Bucks announced Tuesday night that star guard Damian Lillard has been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in his right calf. The seven-time All-NBA selection is now on blood-thinning medication, and his return timeline remains uncertain.

Lillard, 34, has already missed the past three games, and this diagnosis casts doubt over whether he’ll be available for the playoffs. The Bucks (40-31) are currently battling for playoff positioning, locked in a tight race with the Detroit Pistons (41-32) for the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. With just a few games left in the regular season, the loss of Lillard could be a major setback for Milwaukee.

DVT is the formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel, a condition that has sidelined several NBA players before. Hall of Famer Chris Bosh’s career was cut short due to blood clots, and Brandon Ingram missed the end of the 2018-19 season with a similar condition. More recently, San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama was diagnosed with DVT in his shoulder after the All-Star break and was ruled out for the season.

Before the diagnosis, Lillard was having another stellar season, ranking 11th in the NBA in scoring (24.9 PPG) and 10th in assists (7.1 APG). He also earned his ninth All-Star selection, proving to be a key piece alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee’s championship aspirations.

The Bucks are no strangers to injuries impacting their playoff hopes. Last year, Giannis suffered a calf injury before the postseason and was unable to play in the first-round loss to the Indiana Pacers. Now, they may face a similar challenge without Lillard.