Already without Giannis Antetokounmpo this series due to a calf strain, Milwaukee now will have to try to even its series with Indiana without their two best players.
Damian Lillard (Achilles strain) joins Antetokounmpo (calf) as officially out for Game 4 of the Bucks’ series against the Pacers on Sunday. Milwaukee trails in the series 1-2.
Their absence puts a lot of pressure on Khris Middleton — who scored 42 points last game — and role players such as Bobby Portis or Patrick Beverley to step up with the game of their careers and keep Milwaukee out of a 1-3 hole it may not be able to climb out of against a younger, faster, and more athletic Pacers roster.
Lillard has averaged 32.3 points and 5.3 assists a game in this series, shooting 44.4% from 3. He strained his Achilles on the final play of regulation of Game 3 against the Pacers.
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.
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) April 27, 2024
(You can see Lillard wince as he goes to pick up Patrick Beverley.) pic.twitter.com/M4nnU43Nqa
In the overtime, Lillard told coach Doc Rivers to use him as a decoy because he didn’t have the explosion to get off his shot.
It’s another unlucky blow to hit these Bucks at the wrong time in the playoffs, but bad luck doesn’t change the hard questions Milwaukee needs to ask itself about its roster construction and plans for next season.
