NBA: Bucks Fall Behind 3-1 Against Pacers After Lillard Exits with Injury in Game 4 Loss

Last Sunday night at Fiserv Forum, the Indiana Pacers easily crushed the Milwaukee Bucks after a 129-103 lead in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series. This double-digit lead puts the Bucks on the brink of elimination. Yet, the bigger concern of the team is the health of star guard Damian Lillard. The “Dame Time” exited early in the first quarter with a lower left leg injury that could significantly affect the team’s postseason hopes.

Lillard’s injury occurred midway through the first quarter as he went up to contest an offensive rebound. After tipping the ball away from a Pacers defender, he suddenly went down, clutching his left leg in visible pain. There was no contact on the play, which immediately raised fears of a serious injury. Lillard could not put any weight on his leg and had to be helped off the floor. He was later ruled out for the rest of the game.

Initial examinations suggested a possible Achilles tendon injury, according to team sources. Bucks head coach Doc Rivers gave a somber postgame update, admitting, “Just being honest, it’s not very promising.“

Giannis Antetokounmpo, visibly concerned, said, “When you see a guy like that not able to walk on his own, you know this might be serious. Then, you hope for best-case scenario.“

Kevin Porter Jr. added, “Dame’s one of them special ones. He’s very much needed, very much impactful in every way. Seeing him go down and not be able to return, it’s definitely defeating.“

Bobby Portis also expressed the team’s heartbreak, saying, “When a guy just works as hard as he can to get back on the court, then those things like that happen, very sad for him. Sad for us for real. We need him out there.“

After the game, Lillard was seen leaving the arena wearing a walking boot and crutches. The Bucks will know more once he undergoes an MRI on Monday, but the early signs are not encouraging.

Lillard’s injury shifted the momentum heavily in Indiana’s favor. Following his exit, the Pacers went on a 10-3 run to seize control of the game. They built a double-digit lead before halftime and never looked back, handing Milwaukee its second-largest home playoff loss in franchise history. The Pacers now lead the best-of-seven series 3-1 and can close it at home in Game 5 on Tuesday.

Despite being on the opposing side, Pacers center Myles Turner respected Lillard. He states, “This time of the year, I think everybody gets so caught up in all the antics and the playoff rivalry and all that type of stuff. At the end of the day, this league’s a brotherhood, man. There’s only 450 of us, and he’s always been one of my favorite competitors since I’ve been in this league. Just thoughts and prayers. You never want to see anything like [Lillard’s injury] happen, no matter how competitive these playoffs are.”

The injury is an unfortunate twist for Lillard, who had recently returned from deep vein thrombosis in his right leg. That health scare forced him to miss the final 14 regular-season games and Game 1 of this series. His comeback was labeled “unprecedented” by Bucks’ medical staff. However, he struggled to find his rhythm, averaging 10.5 points and 6.0 assists on 24% shooting over the first two games. Before exiting Game 4, he missed both of his shot attempts.

This marks the third straight season that Milwaukee has fallen behind 3-1 in a playoff series. In 2022, they lost to Boston in the semifinals without Khris Middleton. In 2023, they were upset by Miami in the first round as Antetokounmpo battled back injuries. Last year, another first-round exit against Indiana was marred by injuries to Antetokounmpo and Lillard. Now history threatens to repeat itself, with the Bucks facing another steep climb and possibly without one of their biggest stars.

Antetokounmpo is determined not to give up. “I think everybody in the locker room knows what the deal is. The next guy got to step up. We got to do what we got to do, move the ball, play together, try to win the game and come back,” he said.

For now, Milwaukee waits anxiously for news from Lillard’s MRI. Without him, their chances of clawing back from a 3-1 deficit look slim. Facing a determined Pacers team, the Bucks’ season could be just one game away from ending far earlier than they ever expected.