The Milwaukee Bucks are facing elimination and they have lost star guard Damian Lillard for an extended period due to a torn left Achilles tendon.
The Bucks will try to defy long odds on Tuesday night when they face the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference first-round series in Indianapolis.
Milwaukee fell behind 3-1 in the best-of-seven series when it was whipped 129-103 by the visiting Pacers on Sunday night. But the most painful moment of the Bucks’ miserable night certainly occurred when Lillard fell to the floor midway through the first quarter due to the severe injury.
Lillard underwent an MRI exam on Monday that confirmed the Achilles tear. The Bucks said Lillard will miss the rest of the postseason and will undergo surgery.
This was the diagnosis Bucks coach Doc Rivers was expecting when he spoke during Sunday’s postgame press conference at Milwaukee.
“My job over the next 40 hours is to get us upright again and try to win one game at Indiana and get it back here,” Rivers said.
Sunday’s game was just Lillard’s third since returning from a blood clot in his lower right leg. He missed the final 14 regular-season games and the first contest of this series.
This is the second season that Milwaukee has paired Lillard with MVP finalist Giannis Antetokounmpo, and a loss on Tuesday would make it two first-round exits, both against the Pacers.
Antetokounmpo isn’t expecting the blow to derail the career of Lillard, who turns 35 in July.
“He’s one of the toughest — mentally toughest — guys I’ve ever been around, and that’s why he is who he is,” Antetokounmpo said. “And I believe he’s going to overcome every obstacle that’s going to be in front of him.”
The Bucks certainly face a big obstacle in the Pacers. Indiana opened the series with home wins of 19 and eight points before losing Game 3 in Milwaukee by 16.
The Pacers were then electric on Sunday night when they shot a stellar 60.2 percent from the field and had eight players score in double digits. Indiana had 36 assists on 50 baskets.
Myles Turner was the high scorer with 23 points while Tyrese Haliburton had an outstanding all-around game with 17 points, 15 assists and eight rebounds. The assist total was one shy of Haliburton’s postseason high, which came last year against the Bucks in Game 3 of a six-game series.
“We’re doing a good job of paying attention,” Haliburton said. “Where we’re really taking the next step is just holding each other accountable. That’s a really big step for a young team.”
The Pacers also have been attempting to turn the series into a track meet.
In the eyes of Indiana coach Rick Carlisle, that’s the best way to counter the talents of Antetokounmpo.
“You just have to try to make it hard,” Carlisle said. “If he scores at the rim we got to get (the ball) in quick to make him run. We’re a team that’s got to play fast, got to play with persistence and we have to try to wear down the opponent as best we can.”
The Bucks now need three straight wins to keep their season alive.
Kevin Porter Jr. will have a bigger role after stepping up in Lillard’s absence. In 33 minutes off the bench in Game, 4, he made five 3-pointers and had 23 points, six assists and five rebounds.
He’s also not shy when it comes to Milwaukee’s chances.
“We just got to keep believing in who we are,” Porter said. “Look, if any team can come back from 3-1, it’s this team. We all believe in that. This (series) is definitely far from over.”
Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin (bruised abdomen) missed Game 4. He was listed as questionable for Game 5.
–Field Level Media
