Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard is believed to have suffered a left Achilles tear in Game 4 against the Indiana Pacers. NBA Insider Chris Haynes was first to report.
Midway through the first quarter, Lillard moved forward for an offensive rebound near the three-point line. When tapping it to Gary Trent Jr. in the corner, he immediately fell to the ground and grabbed the back of his left ankle. As the Pacers hurried down the court, he remained on the floor.
“They’re gonna do an image tomorrow, obviously it’s lower leg,” Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said after the game. “Just being honest, it’s not very promising.”
Sadly, most likely the Achilles for Dame. Brutal for him and the Bucks. What a rough couple years for him.pic.twitter.com/xDWnaDQuy4
— Vivek Jacob (@vivekmjacob) April 28, 2025
It has been a brutal month or so for Lillard having been previously missed time after being diagnosed with a blood clot in his right calf.
“This is a tough one, honestly,” Rivers said. “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, freakin dude. On a basketball level but, more importantly, as a teammate and a father and all that stuff. No one deserves it, but golly, you look at him. That’s why I feel bad.
“I’ve seen injuries deflate teams but tonight, that one hurt. I thought our guys tried but it was tough.”
Bucks Fall Apart Without Lillard
With Lillard out of the mix, the offense struggled to stay afloat.
Indiana did their homework after a resounding loss in Game 3 and were much sharper here. It was a three-point game when Lillard got injured and the Pacers went on to win 129-103.
Giannis Antetokounmpo did all he could once again with 28 points, 15 rebounds, six assists, and a steal. There was little support from the remainder of the starters as Kyle Kuzma, Brook Lopez, and Gary Trent Jr. combined for 15 points. Lillard left the game scoreless in six minutes.
Kevin Porter Jr. had 23 points, five rebounds, and six assists off the bench.
Without Lillard, the Bucks face an uphill task trying to keep their season alive in Game 5.
Indiana will play host for that game on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. EST.
