Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard suffered a non-contact injury during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference first-round series against the Indiana Pacers.
Lillard appeared to try and control a loose ball coming his way with 6:11 left in the first quarter of the Bucks’ 129-103 loss Sunday.
Lillard fell on the floor holding his left ankle and needed help walking off the court. It appeared Lillard couldn’t put weight on his left leg.
He was taken back to the locker room and the Bucks announced that Lillard was not expected to return to the game due to a ‘left lower leg injury.’ He is scheduled for an MRI on Monday.
In late March, Lillard was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot) in his right calf. The guard’s blood clot was resolved and he returned on April 22 to play in Game 2.
Damian Lillard injured vs. Pacers
Assistant coach Darvin Ham and another member of the Bucks’ staff initially helped Lillard off the court before a teammate helped the star guard back to the locker room.
‘They’re going to do an (MRI) tomorrow,’ Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said during the postgame news conference. ‘Obviously it’s lower leg and just being honest, it’s not very promising.
‘I knew it right away. I felt bad for him. The guy tried to come back for his team, and I just felt bad for him.
‘This one is a tough one.’
Once in the tunnel on the way to the locker room, the television broadcast showed Lillard grab at the back of his left calf, just above his shoe, in the area where the Achilles tendon is located.
Lillard did not score any points but did collect two rebounds and one assist during his six minutes of play Sunday.
The Bucks entered Sunday’s game trailing in the series against the Pacers, 2-1.
On the same date in 2024, Lillard suffered an injury in a playoff series against the Pacers. The injury was considered a strained Achilles.
He would miss Games 4 and 5 of that series but returned for Game 6. It is the only other Achilles injury Lillard has had during his 13-year career.