Players have come out in support of NBA star Damian Lillard following a crushing injury in the Milwaukee Bucks’ game four against the Indiana Pacers.
The Bucks’ season is all but over following their defeat to the Pacers in game four, leaving them 3-1 down in the season series.
To make matters exponentially worse, their star guard, Lillard, went down with a non-contact leg injury in the first quarter. The initial examination pointed towards a possible Achilles tendon injury.
Lillard was traded to the Bucks in the summer of 2023, pairing him with two-time NBA MVP and champion Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee. Lillard, a nine-time All-Star, had hopes of winning his first championship alongside Antetokounmpo, but those hopes seem distant now.
Should his worst fears be confirmed and the 35-year-old be officially diagnosed with an Achilles tear, he is in danger of never returning to his brilliant best.
NBA stars show support to Lillard following injury
Lillard’s NBA contemporaries quickly expressed their anguish following the injury, both on social media and in the post-game press conference.
Four-time NBA All-Star Trae Young wrote “Pray for Dame man!” on his X account.
Meanwhile, former teammate Josh Hart also posted to X. “Prayers up Dolla,” said Hart.
The injury occurred not long after the controversial end to the Knicks’ playoff win against the Detroit Pistons, but Hart was quick to take to social media after the game nonetheless.
Lillard had already made an unlikely return to action for the playoffs after he was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf earlier in the season.
Lillard’s return from injury for game two sparked optimism for the Bucks, who had lost convincingly to the Pacers in game one. That made it even more gut-wrenching when he was helped off the court in heartbreaking fashion.
His series opponents also came out in support of Lillard. Pacers’ star Tyrese Haliburton made sure to show love to his fellow point guard.
“Before you ask any questions, I want to send my thoughts and prayers to Dame,” said Haliburton.
“What you see between us is competing, and you hate to see that happen, especially to a guy that went through a lot. He’s given it his all to come out and play after a scary health issue.
“It’s well documented, the love I have for that guy. You hate to see that happen to anybody, and I wish him the best.”
Lillard’s head coach Doc Rivers praised Haliburton earlier in the series for his play, and would have appreciated the sentiment from the opposing team’s star.
Rivers was visibly shaken postgame, adding to the concern shared among fans. “I felt bad for him. The guy tried to come back for his team, and I just felt bad for him,” said Rivers.
“This is a tough one, honestly. That’s why you have teammates and family around him. He’s just a great dude on the basketball level, but more importantly as a teammate, a father and all that stuff.”
Rivers also hinted at the injury’s severity before further medical evaluation.
“They’re going to do an image tomorrow. Obviously, it’s lower leg, and just being honest it’s not promising.”
The history of NBA Achilles injuries
Unfortunately for Lillard, Achilles injuries have marked the end of illustrious careers for NBA Hall of Famers in the past.
Most notably, Pistons legend Isaiah Thomas and Los Angeles Lakers Icon Kobe Bryant were never the same players after their Achilles injuries.
Bryant, a five-time champion with the Los Angeles Lakers, ruptured his Achilles tendon in 2013. He played only three more injury-plagued seasons before retiring, his best in 2024-25, when he averaged 22 points in 35 games played.
Meanwhile, Thomas was forced to retire a month after his injury in May 1994. The injury effectively ended his illustrious 13-year NBA career with the Pistons.
Kevin Durant is a modern example of an Achilles tear in a future Hall of Fame player. Durant, who tore his Achilles in the 2019 Finals, returned in December 2020, and while he still competes at an All-Star level, he has lacked the same explosiveness ever since.
Durant’s Phoenix Suns missed the playoffs this season, and the two-time champion and NBA MVP has not graced the sport’s biggest stages deep into the playoffs since 2021.
That said, should Lillard’s injury be confirmed as an Achilles tear as suspected, we may have seen the last of Dame time.
The post How Tyrese Haliburton and other NBA stars reacted to Damian Lillard’s gut-wrenching injury appeared first on HITC.
