Injuries are beginning to pile up for the Milwaukee Bucks, presenting them with a new hurdle as they try to rally from a 2-1 deficit in their first-round series against the Indiana Pacers.
Milwaukee has already been playing without two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, sidelined with a calf strain. Khris Middleton was listed as questionable entering Friday’s Game 3 before scoring 42 points in 41 minutes.
And near the end of the fourth quarter, Damian Lillard aggravated an Achilles injury that he said hindered him during overtime.
“We are just taking a lot of hits right now as far as injury-wise,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said after his team’s 121-118 loss in overtime.
Lillard finished with 28 points on 6-of-20 shooting in 45 minutes, but he did not take a shot and went scoreless in overtime.
He told Rivers he wanted to stay on the floor to serve as a decoy for Middleton, who hit tying 3-pointers with 2 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and again with 8 seconds left in overtime.
“I just wanted to be on the floor in case opportunity came up or however I could help,” said Lillard, who revealed that one of his Achilles had been sore following the Bucks’ regular-season finale in Orlando.
“We’re gonna get back and just have to get ahead of it because that’s not something that you want to play with. It’s one of those spots on your body where you literally can’t, you can’t do nothing about it.
If you can’t move you can’t move.
We have a couple of days to start and try to get ahead of it. Get it feeling better and get ready for Sunday.”
Game 4 is Sunday night in Indianapolis.
