One of the East’s dark-horse contenders is facing elimination, and losing a star isn’t making things easier.
The Milwaukee Bucks fell to the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night to cap an eight-game NBA weekend. That loss also pushed the Bucks to the brink of elimination, with Game 4’s result dropping them into a 3-1 hole.
While falling behind 3-1 and the season being on the line in Game 5 is enough to be concerned, the game wasn’t Milwaukee’s biggest loss on Sunday. Bucks guard Damian Lillard exited the game with a non-contact injury in the first half, with the team fearing he suffered a torn Achilles.
At Lillard’s age, a torn Achilles might be nearly impossible to come back from, at least in terms of returning to his elite form. While the Bucks and Lillard will have plenty of time to worry about the long-term impacts, the short-term issues are far more pressing.
Trailing 3-1, the Bucks desperately need some role players to step up to keep the series alive. Although the team still has Giannis Antetokounmpo around to run the show, former NBA player Chandler Parsons has little faith in Milwaukee to overcome Lillard’s injury.
“The Bucks have no chance without Damian Lillard,” Parsons said.
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While Parsons’ statement is certainly bold, he might not be wrong. With just Antetokounmpo on the floor to finish Sunday’s game, the Bucks looked incapable of keeping up with the Pacers.
Indiana eliminated Milwaukee in the first round in 2024, after a late-season injury kept Antetokounmpo out of the playoffs. Now with Lillard sidelined, it will be all on Antetokounmpo’s shoulders to keep the Bucks’ season alive.
Considering the circumstances, the Bucks are likely headed for elimination in Indiana on Tuesday night. With the situation surrounding the team moving forward, it might be the last game for this era of the Bucks.
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