Even more so in the case of Damian Lillard, the Milwaukee Bucks’ new superstar guard. He suffered a lower leg injury in a playoff game against the Indiana Pacers on April 27th, 2025. The Bucks are down 2-1 to the Pacers in their opening round series. Lillard’s continued absence would dim the team’s hopes of making a deep playoff run.
The injury happened just over four minutes into the first quarter when Lillard jumped to grab an offensive rebound. After slapping the ball off a Pacers player, he would hit the ground, visibly favoring his left leg. Following that foul, he was visibly shaken and remained on the court floor during the next defensive possession. This alarmed his fellow teammates and fans.
Leading up to his injury, Lillard was playing some of the worst basketball of his career. He didn’t make either of his shot attempts in Game 4 before exiting the game. He had recently undergone a phenomenal recovery from a deep vein thrombosis in his right leg. That’s unfortunate because his injury now puts him on the bench again, after the last 14 regular season games. His return in Game 2 of this series was considered unprecedented by the organization, as he had not played for nearly a month.
While the Bucks hold their collective breath waiting to hear about Lillard’s condition, they play the smart move by getting an MRI set for him on Monday. We’ll find out just how bad his injury is following this examination. It will provide us with an important indication of how soon we can expect him back on the court. As Chicago NBA reporter Jamal Collier of ESPN has documented, this is an unfolding story that’s developed into a Chicago blockbuster.
The Bucks now find themselves facing the challenge of advancing deep into the playoffs without one of their most pivotal players. Lillard’s leadership and ability to build relationships have been an important foundation of their incredible success this season. Without him, they’ll have to come up with a new game plan to face a rugged Pacers squad.
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