Pacers roll to 129-103 victory in
Game 4 to take 3-1 lead after Bucks lose Lillard to injury
[April 28, 2025]
By STEVE MEGARGEE
MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Indiana Pacers scored at will while the
Milwaukee Bucks couldn't recover from the loss of one of their two
superstar players.
Now the Pacers are on the verge of ending the Bucks' season for a
second straight year.
Myles Turner scored 23 points and the Pacers shot 60.2% on Sunday
night while winning 129-103 over the Bucks, who lost Damian Lillard
to a lower left leg injury midway through the first quarter.
The preliminary examination of Lillard indicated a possible Achilles
tendon injury, a person with knowledge of the situation told The
Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because
the team did not immediately reveal those details.
“Once he kind of looked back, I think we all kind of knew what it
was,” Turner said. “It's a weird feeling to describe because you
have to still compete, you have to get out there, but you just never
want to see that happen to another athlete who puts in as much time
as he does to his craft and to his game, like we all do.
"It's very disheartening, but it happens fast. It's the playoffs.
You have to be able to move on.”
The Pacers, who beat Milwaukee 4-2 in the first round last year, can
eliminate the Bucks again by winning Game 5 on Tuesday in
Indianapolis. The Bucks have lost eight straight road playoff games
and the last five of those defeats have come at Indiana.
Milwaukee might have to try ending that streak without Lillard, who
was helped off the court and into the locker room after suffering a
non-contact injury midway through the first quarter.
“They’re going to do an image tomorrow,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers
said. “Obviously, it’s lower leg. And, just being honest, it’s not
very promising.”
The Pacers led 15-12 at the time of Lillard’s departure and seized
control without him, as eight Pacers scored in double figures.
Aaron Nembhard had 20 points and Tyrese Haliburton had 17 points and
15 assists. T.J. McConnell had 15 points, Aaron Nesmith 14 and Obi
Toppin 13. Pascal Siakam and Jarace Walker added 12 points each.
Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo had 28 points, 15 rebounds and six
assists before leaving with 4:44 left and the Bucks trailing 120-98.
Kevin Porter Jr. added 23 points for the Bucks.
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Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) grabs a rebound against
the Indiana Pacers' Aaron Nesmith during the first half of Game 4 of
a first-round NBA basketball playoff series Sunday, April 27, 2025,
in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)
Antetokounmpo was the only Bucks starter to score
more than six points. Kyle Kuzma continued his tough series by
scoring three points and shooting 1 of 6.
“I've seen injuries deflate teams, but tonight, that one hurt,"
Rivers said. “I thought our guys tried, but it was tough. ... My job
over the next 48 hours or whatever we have is to get us upright
again, try to win one game in Indiana and get it back here.
"But my brain right now is at the same place as our players are, and
that's thinking about Dame."
Two nights after blowing a 10-point halftime lead in a 117-101 loss
at Milwaukee, the Pacers bounced back. They won convincingly despite
missing Bennedict Mathurin, who was out with an abdominal bruise.
“I feel like we kind of let our foot off the gas pedal (in Game 3),”
Haliburton said. “I thought we responded the right way today."
Turner, who had scored six points while shooting 1 of 9 from the
floor in Game 3, had nine points in the first 4½ minutes Sunday as
the Pacers never trailed.
The Pacers went on a 10-3 run immediately after Lillard's exit to
extend its lead to double digits. Indiana led 63-52 at halftime and
stayed in control by shooting 69.2% over the final two quarters.
___
AP Pro Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds contributed to this report.
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