Bucks' Doc Rivers Reveals Damian Lillard’s Reaction to Season-Ending Achilles Injury

The Milwaukee Bucks season ended on Tuesday night when the Indiana Pacers defeated them four games to one. The Bucks struggled to keep up with the young, athletic, and hungry Pacers team, who ran them out of the gym at most points in the series.

It was a tough one to swallow for the Bucks, but the loss in the series may not compare to the loss of Damian Lillard.

Lillard suffered a brutal left Achilles tear in Game 4, which ruled him out for the rest of the series and most like most, if not all, of the 2025-26 season.

The 34-year-old suffered the injury while trying to set his feet to pursue an offensive rebound. As he planted his left foot and attempted to push forward, he stumbled and immediately grabbed at his left ankle and heel area.

Lillard's loss was brutal, and while the injury and his age aren't ideal, he is determined to be back on the court.

Bucks head coach Doc Rivers shared that Damian Lillard is fully committed to making his return to the court.

“He said two things, which I love,” Rivers said. “The first one, he just said ‘I can’t believe I’m here.’ Then the second one is ‘I’m not going out this way.’ I can guarantee you he won’t, and that’s what I meant about his resolve.”

Lillard wrapped up the game scoreless in just six minutes of play, going 0-for-2 from the floor. He chipped in with two rebounds and two assists, ending the night with a -2 plus/minus rating.

Throughout the series, Lillard clearly wasn’t himself. In three appearances, he posted averages of 7.0 points, 4.7 assists, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.7 steals while shooting just 22.2 percent overall and 18.8 percent from beyond the arc in 25 minutes per game.

During the regular season, however, he performed at an elite level. The veteran guard put up 24.9 points, 7.1 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per contest while shooting 44.8 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from three across 36.1 minutes.

The Bucks are now shifting their focus toward retooling for next season, with finding a reliable point guard emerging as a top priority.

This upcoming offseason will be a pivotal one for the franchise, and all eyes will be on general manager Jon Horst to see what path he takes in reshaping the roster for another run at contention.

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