The Milwaukee Bucks’ demoralizing defeat to go down 3-1 in their first-round series against the Indiana Pacers has been compounded by the potential loss of guard Damian Lillard.
Lillard, age 34, had just returned from a two week absence due to deep vein thrombosis (blood clot) in his right leg.
But now it appears that he could be done for the rest of the playoffs as multiple reports believe Lillard ruptured his Achilles tendon in Game 4 on Sunday night.
It was just past midway in the first quarter when Lillard tried grabbing an offensive rebound. He managed to tap the ball away from an Indiana player, but then immediately fell to the ground and grabbed his left leg.
Lillard was seen sitting down on the next defensive possession before being helped to his feet at the next dead ball. He needed assistance to leave the court and was led to the locker room.
Instant replay footage reviewed by the X account @sportsinjuryMD appears to show the moment where Lillard’s Achilles gave out.
Milwaukee Bucks star guard Damian Lillard may have torn his Achilles tendon on Sunday
Lillard took an awkward step off his left leg – causing him to fall on the ground and grimace
He needed to be helped off the court and was seen walking out in a boot and on crutches
At the end of the night, the star point guard was seen walking out of Fiserv Forum in a boot and using crutches. Lillard is set to undergo an MRI on Monday to officially confirm the damage done to his leg.
This injury came exactly one year to the day that Lillard strained his Achilles in last year’s Game 3 against the Pacers.
After the game ended, teammates and coaches praised Lillard’s determination to get back onto the court after the blood clot and bemoaned losing him.
‘This is a tough one, honestly. Blood clot, followed by [Achilles]. … He’s just a great freakin’ dude, as a teammate and a father. No one deserves it,’ said Bucks coach Doc Rivers.
‘Obviously, seeing anybody going through something like that is tough,’ said teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo. ‘You don’t want anybody to get hurt and you don’t know how serious the injury is.
‘You just wish for the best case scenario, but again, it doesn’t matter if he’s your teammate, your opponent, you don’t want to see somebody get hurt because I think we put so much time and effort into our jobs and try to be healthy and try to help our team.’
In Lillard’s absence, the Bucks fell 129-103 to Indiana and face the brink of elimination with Tuesday night’s Game 5.
While Antetokounmpo led the way with 28 points and Kevin Porter Jr managed 23 points off the bench, only one other player on Milwaukee put up double-digit points.
Without his co-star, Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) led the Bucks in scoring, but couldn’t win
Meanwhile, all five of Indiana’s starters – as well as three bench players – hit double-digits as they were led by 23 points from Myles Turner.
Lillard is one of the best point guards of his generation, but this injury could spell the end to his 13 year career.
He has just one more year under contract with a player option available in the 2026-27 season.
Rumors around Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee remain as well, with the 30-year-old star set to play on the first year of a three-year extension next season.
But if the Bucks aren’t able to build around him, now could be the time he might demand a trade.
Antetokounmpo is only under contract through 2027 before a player option kicks in for the 2027-28 season.
