Things for the Milwaukee Bucks have gone from bad to worse. According to NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic and The Stadium, Bucks superstar guard Damian Lillard is listed as ‘doubtful’ for Game 4. He suffered a strained Achilles and is in a walking boot following the team’s Game 3 loss.
Charania tweeted out the news early Saturday.
Lillard said he appeared to aggravate his Achilles injury at the end of regulation. Watch as Lillard limps as he’s on his way to pick up teammate Patrick Beverley from the floor.
After the game, Damian Lillard clarified that his Achilles aggravation occurred on this play at the end of regulation and not on the foul by Pascal Siakam in the first quarter.
(You can see Lillard wince as he goes to pick up Patrick Beverley.) pic.twitter.com/M4nnU43Nqa
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) April 27, 2024
It wasn’t very visible in real-time, but watching it on this video, it’s evident Lillard was laboring. Although that was the case, Lillard remained in the game the rest of the way as he saw his team drop Game 3 in overtime and fall to a 2-1 deficit against the Pacers.
After the game, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers didn’t mince any words on Lillard’s struggles due to the injury.
“Honestly, Dame was really struggling,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said. “In the overtime, he literally said, ‘I’ll be the decoy. I just can’t go as far as explosion.’ So I thought Dame just being out there was huge for us.”
Lillard, on the other hand, remained optimistic after the Game 3. However, with the walking boot on, his chance of playing seems dim.
“I think tonight, it was just so fresh, just re-aggravated after having a whole week where you could kind of get it together,” Lillard said. “But I just wanted to be on the floor in case some opportunity came up, or however I could help. But obviously, tonight, we’re gonna get back and just have to get ahead of it because that’s not something you want to play with.
“It’s one of those spots on your body where you literally can’t do nothing about it. If you can’t move, you can’t move. So we got a couple days, tonight, to start to try to get ahead of it and just get it feeling better, try to get ready for Sunday.”
It wasn’t the best night for the eight-time All-Star. In the first quarter of the game, Lillard had another scare when he drove to the basket against Pacers forward Pascal Siakam and landed on his ankle. Lillard appeared to twist his knee and lay on the ground in pain before hobbling to the bench and down the tunnel.
The Bucks are already down their two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo due to a left calf strain. Antetokounmpo has yet to suit up in these playoffs and likely won’t until the next round if the Bucks make it past the Pacers.
Lillard was traded to the Bucks a month before the 2023-2024 season started. In his first season in Milwaukee, Lillard averaged 24.3 points per game, 4.4 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game on 42.4% shooting from the field. Lillard’s season could be over, meaning the Bucks season could be over soon without their superstar duo.
Game 4 is on Sunday at 4 p.m. PT/ 7 p.m. ET.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
The post Bucks All-Star Strains Achilles, Doubtful For Critical Game 4 Vs Pacers appeared first on Newsweek.
