The Milwaukee Bucks are in deep trouble! Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co. were already struggling in the first round of the playoffs against the Indiana Pacers as they fell into a 3-1 deficit. To make things worse, their starting point guard, Damian Lillard, who just returned after missing several regular-season games and the first matchup of the series, was helped off the court. The 34-year-old tumbled in what was a no-contact injury and hit the floor looking in some serious pain. Milwaukee faithful all around the world collectively held their breath and awaited an update on Lillard’s status. Only for them to be devastated by what came next.

The Bucks announced that Damian Lillard has suffered an unfortunate Achilles injury. “Damian Lillard underwent an MRI today that revealed a torn left Achilles tendon,” The Bucks said in a statement. “Lillard will miss the remainder of the 2025 playoffs and undergo surgery to repair the injury.” This injury comes as a massive blow for the Milwaukee Bucks, who were hoping that this year might be the one where they could make a deep playoff run. The Bucks have not gotten past the first round since their 2021 championship run. With them being 3-1 down and Lillard out for the season, there seems to be little hope of survival.

Moreover, this has sent shockwaves through the hoops world with several players and analysts wishing Dame a speedy recovery. One of them is none other than, LA Lakers’ shooting guard, Austin Reaves, who expressed his emotions upon hearing this terrible news. “I had talks with not my father, people in my family, it does concern me. They’re gonna lose probably here 4-1. Alright, they’re going back home. It couldn’t have happened to a better competitor. Yeah. Sometimes, you know, you look at the basketball gods, you’re like, damn man, y’all messed this one up.” Reaves stated on Doc Rivers’ son’s podcast, ‘Off Guard with Austin Rivers.‘

The 26-year-old was in distress when he initially heard the news of Lillard’s injury. He then hopped on a call with his family and talked about what the repercussions could be.

Most importantly, he was concerned about why this happened to Dame, who’s one of the best people Reaves knows both on and off the court. “I don’t want to (wish) injury upon anybody. But damn it if it’s gonna go to a guy like this though. His greatest moments have only come from the most high-competitive, high-pressure moments in the game because that’s who he is. When you think of Dame Lillard, you think of all the game winners, you think of all the moments, in the most high-pressure moments, he has given these memories because that’s who he is. He’s the ultra competitor. This is the last person you want to see this injury to. My heart hurt. It still does.” Reaves expressed further. He revealed his deep admiration for the Milwaukee point guard, lauding him for his clutch moments.

Moreover, he emphasized the fact that Damian Lillard is the last guy anyone would want to see go out in such brutal fashion. This is not just the end of Dame’s season, it might be the end of Milwaukee’s season as well. If they fail to get past the Pacers yet again, Milwaukee’s future might be in the dark. In fact, the rumors about Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future have already started to float.

Calls mount for Giannis Antetokounmpo to join the Lakers

With another first-round exit seems to be on the horizon for the Milwaukee Bucks, speculation around their star, Giannis Antetokounmpo, has started to grow. Former NBA forward Carlos Boozer gave his take on where the Bucks superstar should head next if he doesn’t want to stay in Milwaukee. “If Giannis [Antetokounmpo] doesn’t want to come back to Milwaukee – it’s really up to him if he wants to stay or doesn’t want to stay… but it’s interesting to me, for like, if I’m Giannis and I don’t want to go back to Milwaukee, maybe [go] play with Luka [Doncic], maybe go to LA, if he wants to win,” Boozer said.

The Bucks’ chances of making a comeback after being down 3-1 are slim to none. Especially with Damian Lillard now out for the rest of the season. Meanwhile, the Lakers have their own fair share of trouble as they are also 3-1 down against Anthony Edwards and Minnesota. With both teams staring at potential first-round exits, they might have one eye toward the offseason. While Milwaukee’s focus will be on doing whatever it takes to retain its franchise player, the Lakers might have a different view. Los Angeles has already splashed big before the trade deadline, acquiring Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks. However, they might not be done.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is currently on a massive $186 million max extension that is set to run through the 2027-28 season. So, the Lakers will have to make some space in their wage bills to accommodate that 30-year-old superstar. However, if they manage to lock down Giannis, they might have arguably the most dominant starting five in the league.

With LeBron James already in the twilight of his illustrious career, the Doncic-Antetokounmpo duo might secure the future of the franchise. Nonetheless, this is merely speculation for now, as the first priority of both franchises will be to avoid elimination in the first round.