DENVER (AP) — Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers expressed confidence that the Bucks could remain competitive without Damian Lillard but acknowledged it would take multiple players to pick up the slack while the seven-time all-NBA guard is out.
The Bucks announced Tuesday that Lillard has deep vein thrombosis in his right calf and is taking blood-thinning medication. Thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel.
“You hear the word blood clot…that’s not a good word, not only just in sports, but life,” Rivers said before the Bucks’ game Wednesday night against the Denver Nuggets.
Lillard missed a fourth straight game Wednesday, and the Bucks haven’t indicated when he might return.
“We’re hopeful that he’s coming back,” Rivers said. “It’s a blow to us, obviously. It’s more of a blow to Dame. That’s where the emotional support goes. Guys get to play today. Dame does not, so to me, the guy I try to support more is Dame. We’re just hopeful. It’s such a gray area. That’s where more of the support comes right now. Obviously if this lingers, that’s different. But today and right now, it’s all about Dame.”
The Bucks also played Wednesday without two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is dealing with a sprained left foot. But it’s the Lillard situation that has the bigger long-term implications because of its severity.
Lillard, 34, is the second high-profile player to be sidelined this season because of DVT.
Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs was diagnosed with it in his shoulder after he returned from the All-Star Game last month and was quickly ruled out for the season. He, like Lillard, is on blood-thinning medication, but doctors have assured the Spurs that there is no concern for Wembanyama’s long-term health.
“I was really proud of our medical team,” Rivers said. “They did everything. I don’t know how many doctors we talked to. I don’t want to see another doctor for a long time or talk to another one. The due diligence was all there. It made Dame feel comfortable, which is what we were trying to achieve and the most important part of it.”
Lillard entered Wednesday’s action ranked 10th in assists (7.1) and 11th in scoring (24.9). Rivers acknowledged the enormity of the task Milwaukee faces in replacing his production.
“It’s going to be a committee,” Rivers said. “It’s not going to be one guy. It’s not even going to be Ryan (Rollins) and just Scoot (Kevin Porter Jr.). It’s going to be a bunch of guys. You’re not going to replace what Dame does. We may be able to do different things. Defensively, we may do different things, offensively. This is part of it. Everyone goes through them. Obviously, nothing like this, but we’ll figure it out. I’m very confident in our team.”
Milwaukee entered Wednesday in a virtual tie with the Detroit Pistons for fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings, two games behind the Indiana Pacers. The top four teams in the conference earn home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Milwaukee Bucks' Damian Lillard (0) drives against the Indiana Pacers' Miles Turner during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)
Milwaukee Bucks' Damian Lillard (0) puts up a shot against the Indiana Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)
Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers reacts to a call against the Phoenix Suns during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, March 24, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Richard Chamberlain, the handsome hero of the 1960s television series "Dr. Kildare" who found a second career as an award-winning "king of the miniseries," has died. He was 90.
Chamberlain died Saturday night in Waimanalo, Hawaii, of complications following a stroke, according to his publicist, Harlan Boll.
“Our beloved Richard is with the angels now. He is free and soaring to those loved ones before us," Martin Rabbett, his lifelong partner, said in a statement. "How blessed were we to have known such an amazing and loving soul. Love never dies. And our love is under his wings lifting him to his next great adventure.”
Tall, with classic good looks and romantic style, Chamberlain became an instant favorite with teenage girls as the compassionate physician on the TV series that aired from 1961 to 1966. Photoplay magazine named him most popular male star for three years in a row, from 1963-65.
Not until 2003 did he acknowledge publicly what Hollywood insiders had long known, that he was gay. He made the revelation in his autobiography, "Shattered Love."
The actor became known as "king of the TV miniseries" in 1978 when he landed the starring role in "Centennial," an epic production 24 hours long and based on James Michener's sprawling novel. He followed that in 1980 with "Shogun," another costly, epic miniseries based on James Clavell's period piece about an American visitor to Japan.
He scored his greatest miniseries success in 1983 with another long-form drama, "The Thorn Birds," based on Colleen McCullough's best-seller. He played Father Ralph de Bricassart, a Roman Catholic priest in Australia who falls in love with beautiful Meggie Cleary (Rachel Ward). The ABC production, which also starred Barbara Stanwyck, reportedly attracted 100 million viewers.
Chamberlain won Golden Globes for his work in “Shogun" and “The Thorn Birds.” Years earlier, he received one for “Dr. Kildare.”
When the public began to lose interest in miniseries, Chamberlain turned to the theater, where he displayed a fine singing voice. He appeared as Henry Higgins in a 1994 Broadway revival of "My Fair Lady" and as Captain von Trapp in a 1999 revival of "The Sound of Music."
He reprised his role of de Bricassart in the 1996 TV movie "The Thorn Birds: The Missing Years."
He also appeared in numerous films, including "The Music Lovers" (as Tchaikovsky), "The Madwoman of Chaillot," "The Towering Inferno" and "The Three Musketeers" and its sequels.
The "Kildare" series was based on a string of successful 1930s and '40s films that had starred Lew Ayres in the title role.
Chamberlain's hunky, all-American appearance made him an overnight star. Another medical show that debuted the same season, "Ben Casey," also was a smash and made its leading man, the darkly handsome Vince Edwards, a star, too.
The "Ben Casey shirt" became a fashion item, both shows' theme songs made the pop Top 40 (the Kildare song performed by Chamberlain himself) and there was even a pop song called "Dr. Kildare! Dr. Casey! You Are Wanted for Consultation."
But in his book, Chamberlain recounted how he was forced to hide his sexuality. He would escort glamorous actresses to movie premieres and other public events at the request of studio executives and dodge reporters' questions about why he had never married with a stock reply: "Getting married would be great, but I'm awfully busy now."
"When I grew up, being gay, being a sissy or anything like that was verboten," he said in an NBC interview. "I disliked myself intensely and feared this part of myself intensely and had to hide it."
The book also described a troubled childhood and an alcoholic father, and Chamberlain said that writing it finally lifted a heavy emotional burden. He also expressed relief that he was no longer hiding his sexuality.
"I played a cat-and-mouse game with the press. Game over," said Chamberlain.
Born George Richard Chamberlain in Beverly Hills on March 31, 1934, the actor originally studied at Pomona College to be a painter. But after returning from the Army, where he had served as an infantry clerk in the Korean War, Chamberlain decided to try acting.
He studied voice and drama, and after appearing in guest roles in a handful of TV shows and in the 1960 film "The Secret of the Purple Reef," he won the Dr. Kildare role.
When “Dr. Kildare” was canceled he initially found it difficult to shake the image of the handsome young physician.
He moved to England for a time to find work and hone his acting skills. While there, he appeared in three of director Richard Lester’s films, “Petulia” (1968), “The Three Musketeers” (1973) and “The Four Musketeers” (1974). He reunited with Lester in 1989 for “The Return of the Musketeers,” once more playing Aramis.
In 1969, Chamberlain played the title role in “Hamlet” at England’s Birmingham Repertory Company and repeated it in a TV adaptation that appeared on NBC in the United States. He also appeared as Octavius in a film version of “Julius Caesar,” which co-starred Charlton Heston and Jason Robards.
He continued to act well into the 21st century, appearing on such television shows as “Will & Grace,” “The Drew Carey Show” and “Touched by an Angel.”
Bob Thomas, a longtime Associated Press journalist who died in 2014, was the principal writer of this obituary.
FILE - Actor Richard Chamberlain waves during a news conference in Berlin, Oct. 10, 1995. (AP Photo/ Jan Bauer, file)
FILE - This June 27, 2012, photo shows actor Richard Chamberlain in Los Angeles. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP, file)
