Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard is expected to return to action next week in Game 2 or Game 3 of the team's first-round series against the Indiana Pacers, sources told ESPN.

The Bucks play Game 1 on Saturday in Indianapolis and Game 2 on Tuesday. The series shifts to Milwaukee for Game 3 on Friday.

After being diagnosed with a blood clot in his right calf just over three weeks ago, Lillard made an unprecedented recovery and was cleared of deep vein thrombosis and stopped blood-thinning medication Thursday. Deep vein thrombosis is an abnormal clot within a vessel where the congealing of blood blocks the flow through on the way back to the heart.

Lillard participated in his first full practice Thursday and was expected to use a period of several days to ramp up his contact workouts for a return. At this point, Lillard's comeback is about finding his basketball stamina.

Doctors have told Bucks officials that the speed of Lillard's recovery has never been seen before, but it occurred because of early treatment, detection and specialists working on him before a formal diagnosis, according to sources. Lillard began blood-thinning medication well before the March 25 diagnosis of the blood clot.

"This could have been career-threatening," Bucks coach Doc Rivers said Thursday, adding it's a "godsend" Lillard will return for the playoffs.

Lillard, 34, last played in a game March 18, missing the final 14 contests of the regular season. The Bucks went 10-4 in those games and ended the regular season on an eight-game winning streak.

A nine-time NBA All-Star, Lillard averaged 24.9 points and 7.1 assists in 58 games this season. He averaged 31.3 points, 5.0 assists and 3.3 rebounds during the playoffs for the Bucks last season.