NBA teams dealing with injured stars as playoffs loom. Who will return in time?

NBA injuries are an unfortunate and unavoidable part of every season .

As the playoffs near, injuries to stars and key players are impacting the playoff race in the Eastern and Western conferences.

Will the Dallas Mavericks overcome their long list of injuries just to make the play-in game? Will the Los Angeles Lakers get back on track with LeBron James and Luka Doncic ?.

Damian Lillard is out indefinitely with a blood clot in his right calf.

There is belief that Lillard could return this season .

The Milwaukee Bucks are in a tight race for seeding with Indiana and Detroit .

The Bucks are 8-6 without Lillard this season ( 2 -2 since the blood clot diagnosis) and have a better net rating per 100 possessions with Lillard on the bench than with him on the court.

The Mavericks were 28 -25 and in eighth place in the West on Feb. 8 when they beat the Houston Rockets in Anthony Davis' first game with the Mavs after the Luka Doncic trade from Lakers .

Oklahoma City Thunder have the best record in the league at 60-12 and have clinched the top seed in the West .

Orlando Magic have won three consecutive games and are 6-4 in their past 10 games.