NEWSLETTER
The Milwaukee Bucks are likely to be without Damian Lillard for Sunday’s pivotal Game 4.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Lillard is currently in a walking boot after straining his Achilles on Friday night. The superstar guard’s availability for a team already without Giannis Antetokounmpo is now in serious doubt.
Lillard was in noticeable pain after a collision with Pascal Siakam in the first quarter of Game 3. However, he confirmed after the game that his injury trouble really started at the end of regulation. Doc Rivers stated that Lillard was “really struggling” during the over time period and had to be used more as a decoy.
The Athletic’s Eric Nehm shared a clip of when Lillard’s injury occurred here:
The Bucks now head into Sunday down 2-1 in the first-round series. Of course, they’ve already played the first three games without star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has been nursing a calf injury. The status of the Greek Freak has been handled on a game-by-game basis, but we’ve had little reason to believe he’s nearing 100 percent.
Still, we’ve seen Antetokounmpo make some pretty miraculous injury comebacks in past postseasons. While we probably shouldn’t go into Game 4 in Indiana expecting him to play, perhaps this Lillard news will change his sense of urgency.
If one thing is for sure, this series begins to lean further and further in Indiana’s direction.
