Fear of the worst with Damian Lillard: latest update on his injury

Damian Lillard, star of the Milwaukee Bucks, will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of the injury to his left leg that forced him to leave the game on Sunday night, a 129-103 loss to the Indiana Pacers in the first quarter.

Preliminary examination indicated a possible Achilles tendon injury, sources told ESPN, confirming several reports.

"To be honest, it's not very promising," Bucks coach Doc Rivers commented after the game.

Lillard suffered the injury while trying to secure an offensive rebound midway through the first quarter. After deflecting the ball from a Pacers player, Lillard fell to the floor and grabbed his left leg, staying on the ground until the next defensive possession.

He was helped to his feet during the next timeout and needed assistance to leave the court, unable to put weight on his left leg. He was escorted to the locker room, and the team ruled him out for the rest of the game.

"I knew right away," Rivers said. "I felt bad for him; the guy tried to come back for his team. I just felt bad for him."

Lillard left the game with 5:57 remaining in the first quarter, with the Bucks trailing 15-12. Rivers acknowledged that watching Lillard fall was demoralizing for the rest of the team.

"He's one of those special players," Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. said. "He’s much-needed, has a big impact in all aspects. Seeing him go down and not being able to return is definitely disheartening."

Milwaukee is down 3-1 in the series against Indiana. The fifth game will be played on Tuesday in Indianapolis.

Lillard had been out for the last 14 games of the regular season due to deep vein thrombosis in his right leg. He returned in Game 2 of the first-round series against the Pacers after a month of recovery, a comeback the team described as unprecedented.

However, Lillard had not shown his usual form in this series, averaging 10.5 points and 6.0 assists with a 24% shooting percentage (6 of 25) in the first two games. He missed both shots he attempted in Game 4 before leaving the court.

"When a guy works so hard to get back on the court, and then things like that happen, it’s very sad for him," Bucks forward Bobby Portis said. "It's sad for us as well. We need him on the court."

After Lillard's injury, the Pacers went on a 10-3 run to take a double-digit lead. Indiana maintained a double-digit lead at halftime, for the second consecutive time, and extended the lead for a 26-point victory, the second-largest home defeat in Bucks' playoff history, according to ESPN Research.

"At this time of year, I think everyone gets so obsessed with rivalries and playoff maneuvers, but at the end of the day, this league is a brotherhood," Pacers center Myles Turner commented. "There are only 450 of us, and he has always been one of my favorite competitors since I came into this league. My thoughts and prayers are with him. You never want to see something like [Lillard's injury], no matter how competitive these playoffs are."

Milwaukee has fallen 3-1 in a playoff series for the third consecutive season. But as they await the results of Lillard's MRI on Monday, the Bucks are preparing to move forward without him and avoid a third straight first-round elimination.

"I think everyone in the locker room knows the situation," Giannis Antetokounmpo said. "The next guy has to step up. We have to do what we have to do, move the ball, play together, try to win the game, and come back."

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