Damian Lillard of the Milwaukee Bucks has had a tough season in 2025, with injuries plaguing his performance on the court. After missing 14 games of the regular season due to a deep vein thrombosis in his right calf, Lillard made a comeback for Game 2 of the playoff series against the Indiana Pacers. However, during Game 4, disaster struck as Lillard suffered a left Achilles tendon tear, ending his season and playoff run.
The injury occurred in a non-contact manner, leaving everyone stunned as Lillard went down clutching his left ankle. His teammate Kyle Kuzma helped him off the court, but it was clear that the injury was severe. An MRI confirmed the Achilles tendon tear, a crucial injury for a basketball player who relies on his calf muscles for running and jumping.
This injury comes on the heels of Lillard’s recent battle with deep vein thrombosis, a condition that led him to be on blood-thinning medications to prevent a pulmonary embolism. While there is no direct link between the DVT and the Achilles injury, the impact of being on blood thinners and the lack of regular conditioning due to the DVT treatment may have made Lillard more susceptible to such an injury.
The Bucks now face an uphill battle in the playoffs, down 1-3 against the Pacers and missing their star player. The road to recovery for Lillard will be long, with potential surgery and months of physical therapy ahead. Whether he will be able to return to his former self on the court remains uncertain, but one thing is clear – the Bucks will sorely miss his presence in the remainder of the playoffs.
As Lillard navigates his rehabilitation journey, the team and fans will be eagerly awaiting his return to the court, whenever that may be. In the meantime, the Bucks will have to rally together and find a way to overcome this setback in their quest for playoff success.
