04/27/24 02:10:00
Printable Page
04/27 14:08 CDT Bucks' Lillard has MRI, team awaiting results before deciding
if he plays in Game 4 vs. Pacers
Bucks' Lillard has MRI, team awaiting results before deciding if he plays in
Game 4 vs. Pacers
By MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) --- Damian Lillard underwent an MRI to determine the severity
of his Achilles injury, and the Milwaukee Bucks could be without the star guard
for Game 4 of their playoff series against the Indiana Pacers, coach Doc Rivers
said Saturday.
Lillard greeted reporters as he strolled through an Indianapolis hotel wearing
a walking boot on his right foot, but he did not take questions.
"We don't know yet, not looking great but we don't know yet," Rivers said when
asked about Lillard's availability for Sunday's game. "They're going to give us
the test results soon, so we should know a little later today."
Milwaukee was 1-8 when Lillard didn't start a game in the regular season.
Lillard was clearly limping at times during the Bucks' 121-118 overtime loss at
Indiana on Friday night. The eight-time All-Star twisted his left knee when
Pacers forward Pascal Siakam stepped on his foot in the first quarter. He
stayed on the ground briefly before going to the locker room.
The 33-year-old Lillard returned in the second quarter and finished with 28
points and eight assists while going 6 of 20 from the field.
After the game, Lillard said he also hurt an Achilles tendon late in
regulation. He scored two points, both on free throws and none in overtime,
over the final 10 minutes Friday as Milwaukee fell into a 2-1 deficit in the
best-of-seven series.
Lillard's injury means Milwaukee could be without its top two players for Game
4.
Two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo hasn't played since straining his
left calf on April 9. Rivers said Antetokounmpo could be cleared for Game 4,
though he believes it's unlikely.
"Today is his day off so he's going to go hard early (Sunday) and then we're
going to make a decision after that," Rivers said before being asked directly
whether Antetokounmpo might play. "I doubt it, but we'll see."
The Bucks did get some promising news Saturday.
Rivers said Khris Middleton --- who finished with a playoff-career high 42
points in Game 3 --- appeared to be feeling well after playing 41 minutes on
the sprained right ankle that kept him out of Thursday's practice.
"He felt great," Rivers said. "Obviously, you've got to go to sleep and wake up
in the morning and I'm looking around and don't see a lot of old guys --- a
couple of us --- you know how when we wake up our body feels, so we have to
wait for Khris to wake up in the morning. The good news is there wasn't a lot
of swelling, and he said he felt better as the game went on."
Dealing with postseason injuries is nothing new for the Bucks.
A sprained ankle kept Antetokounmpo out of the final 1 games of a 2020
second-round loss to Miami. He also missed the final two games of the 2021
Eastern Conference finals with a hyperextended knee. Antetokounmpo returned
against Phoenix and was named the NBA Finals MVP after scoring 50 points in a
title-clinching Game 6 victory.
Middleton missed the Bucks' last 10 playoff games in 2022 with a sprained
medial collateral ligament, and Antetokounmpo left Game 1 of last year's
first-round loss to Miami with a bruised lower back that also kept him out of
Games 2 and 3.
The Bucks are facing a similar scenario Sunday.
"We have 24 hours to work on that and figure it out," Rivers said. "In the
past, without him (Lillard), we've had Giannis at the point. If he doesn't
play, you have to just figure out something. We have guys. There are certain
ways in the motion offense we can play, we've worked a little bit on that, so
we'll be ready."
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
|
