Milwaukee’s playoff hopes took a gut punch Sunday night when Damian Lillard, the Bucks’ star point guard, crumpled to the court in Game 4 against the Indiana Pacers. Halfway through the first quarter, Lillard scrambled for an offensive rebound, swiped the ball from a Pacers player, and then hit the deck hard. He clutched his left lower leg, pain etched across his face, and stayed down through the next defensive stand. Trainers rushed to his side, and he was helped off the floor, unable to put weight on the leg. The Bucks later confirmed he would not return to the game.
Lillard, who’s been a linchpin for Milwaukee’s postseason run, is slated for an MRI on April 28 to gauge the damage. The team’s medical staff hasn’t released a diagnosis yet, but the injury adds to a rough stretch for the eight-time All-Star. He missed the final 14 games of the regular season battling deep vein thrombosis in his right leg—a blood clot condition that sidelined him for over a month. Lillard defied odds to return for Game 2 of this series, a comeback the Bucks called unprecedented. Now, with his left leg in question, Milwaukee faces a tense wait.
The Bucks, already grinding through a bruising first-round series, leaned on Lillard’s playmaking and clutch scoring. He’d been averaging 31.3 points per game in the playoffs before Sunday’s exit. Without him, Milwaukee’s offense sputtered, though they fought to keep the game close. The Pacers, smelling blood, pushed their up-tempo attack, capitalizing on the Bucks’ shaken rotation.
Lillard’s injury history this season has been a nagging shadow. On April 8, the Bucks listed him as out with the right calf issue tied to his thrombosis. By April 15, he’d shown enough progress to ramp up on-court work, and by April 22, he was questionable for games as he eased back into form. His return was a spark for the team, but Sunday’s mishap could derail that momentum. The MRI results, expected Monday, will dictate whether Lillard can suit up for Game 5 or beyond.
Milwaukee’s season has hinged on its stars navigating health scares. Giannis Antetokounmpo, their two-time MVP, was listed as probable with shoulder tendinopathy earlier this month, while other role players like Pat Connaughton and Tyler Smith have battled their own injuries. Lillard’s latest setback, though, could be the toughest blow yet in a series where every possession counts. The Bucks and Pacers are locked in a first-round dogfight, with Game 4’s outcome still unfolding as Lillard left the court.
No timetable for Lillard’s return has been announced. The Bucks’ medical team will review the MRI to determine the injury’s severity. Game 5 is set for April 30 in Milwaukee.