Setbacks continue to emerge for the Milwaukee Bucks! The Wisconsin team is now finding it difficult to even land a single step, as they have trouble coming in from all directions. Especially, in the last 9 games, apart from a comprehensive win against the Utah Jazz, Doc Rivers’ men have lost all 8, leaving them in the 14th seed of the Eastern Conference. While Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard remained the only positives on the side with consistent offensive efforts, that’s also now gone down the drain.

A report from The Athletic revealed that Dame has come under the league’s concussion protocol and will miss the Tuesday night game against the Toronto Raptors. There’s no clarity on how and when the star guard had sustained a head injury.

Last night, the team faced the Boston Celtics and suffered a 113-107 loss. Dame Time played through the entire stretch of the game. So, there’s a high chance that the hoopster could’ve sustained this injury during a practice session after the game.

Some reports also suggest that Damian Lillard could have sustained the injury during the Celtics game itself. Nevertheless, there isn’t any confirmation, as of now. Notably, the star guard didn’t have a great game either, as he struggled to find his rhythm. In 36 minutes, Dame dropped only 14 points with a 4-15 FG. Considering his 26.0 ppg average, it’s quite a poor reflection of his high standards.

Most importantly, this is Dame’s first injury miss this season, as he’s played every game taking the starting point guard position. The last time he missed a game for the Bucks was during the 2024 Playoff First Round against the Indiana Pacers. The veteran guard sustained a strained right Achilles tendon and missed Game 4. Even though Lillard returned for Game 5, it was a major blow, as the Bucks were already 1-3 down. Anyway, let’s romp back to the present.

When will Damian Lillard return?

The league takes its concussion protocol very seriously, much like any other major sporting league. A few days ago, the Denver Nuggets‘ Jamal Murray sustained a head injury during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. During the Nuggets’ offensive play, the Wolves’ new addition, Julius Randle, mistakenly landed his elbow on Murray’s head, making him immediately exit the game.

The team put him under concussion protocol and he missed three games in the 5-day period. So, there are chances that Damian Lillard could also miss up to three games depending upon the severity of his injury.

Moreover, until Lillard is cleared to play, he will be under the supervision of the team’s medical staff. The players have been instructed to reduce their physical and cognitive activities. Importantly, the league had also laid a strong notice when it comes to video games.

The concussion policy suggests that an individual part of this protocol “should consider limiting his use of electronic games and devices, be educated by a member of the team’s medical staff about the need for appropriate sleep, nutrition, and hydration, and limit his exposure to large groups of people until he is cleared by a member of the team’s medical staff to do so.”

Will the Bucks return to their normal rhythm before Damian Lillard returns? Let us know in the comments below.