The Milwaukee Bucks’ playoff hopes suffered another devastating blow as star guard Damian Lillard went down with a significant injury during their 129-103 Game 4 loss to the Indiana Pacers. With the Bucks now trailing 3-1 in the Eastern Conference first-round series, the team faces a tough Game 5 challenge in Indianapolis on Tuesday.
Lillard, 34, was injured midway through the first quarter when he tipped a loose ball toward teammate Gary Trent Jr. and immediately clutched the lower part of his left leg. Unable to put weight on it, he was helped off the court and did not return. It marked yet another setback for the All-Star, who had only recently returned to action after missing Milwaukee’s final 14 regular-season games with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in his right calf.
“This is a tough one, honestly,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said after the game. “Blood clot, followed by this. It’s just tough. That’s why you have teammates and family around him. He’s just such a great freaking dude, on a basketball level, but more importantly as a teammate and a father and all that stuff.”
Despite the serious health challenges, Lillard’s resilience had shone through. He was taken off blood thinners and cleared to play just in time for the playoffs, returning for Game 2 against the Pacers. “I have so much respect for him,” said Giannis Antetokounmpo. “He’s one of the toughest, mentally toughest guys I’ve ever been around. That’s why he is who he is.”
Lillard, a 10-time All-Star, ranked 10th in the league this season in both scoring (24.9 points) and assists (7.1). Before the postseason, he shared that doctors had found his DVT case unusual. “They were just like, ‘We don’t see this,’” Lillard explained, adding that the clot had shrunk dramatically after weeks of monitoring.
Now, facing another extended recovery period and possible surgery, Lillard’s postseason is all but over. “I believe he’s going to overcome every obstacle that’s put in front of him,” Antetokounmpo assured. “Everybody’s going to be there for him.”
Lillard’s injury continues a troubling trend for the Bucks, who have seen key players sidelined during the playoffs in recent years. Khris Middleton, Antetokounmpo, and Lillard himself have all missed crucial games since Milwaukee’s 2021 championship, hindering the team’s postseason ambitions.
As the Bucks prepare for Game 5, the absence of their star guard looms large, adding to the pressure on a team desperately trying to stave off another early playoff exit.
