The Milwaukee Bucks will play without their two best players in Game 4 against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, facing a 2-1 deficit.
O Bucks announced early Sundaand that Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo will be sidelined from the critical game.
Antetokounmpo will miss his sixth straight game with a calf strain that has sidelined him since April 10. Lillard aggravated an Achilles injury late in Game 3 on Friday night and was seen walking around on Saturday. Head coach Doc Rivers told reporters on Saturday that the team was awaiting the results of an MRI before Lillard was ruled out on Sunday.
The injuries left the Bucks at a significant disadvantage, two days after losing a 121-118 Game 3 overtime thriller that gave the Pacers a 2-1 series lead. Lillard was injured late in regulation, but was unable to score in overtime while playing due to the injury. Pacers All-Star Tyrese Haliburton hit the game-winning bucket with a floater 1 with 1.1 seconds left in overtime.
The Bucks will look to increase the production of Khris Middleton, Bobby Portis and Brook Lopez in the absence of their two All-Stars.
Lillard averaged 24.3 points and seven assists in the regular season and increased his production in the playoffs with Antetokounmpo sidelined. In Games 1-3, Lillard averaged 32.3 points, 5.3 assists and 3.7 rebounds while shooting 44.4% on 12 3-point attempts per game.
Milwaukee has struggled this season without Lillard on the floor. They went 1-8 in regular season in games he didn’t play. It’s unclear when Lillard or Antetokounmpo will be able to return to the court.
