INDIANAPOLIS — Injuries are beginning to pile up for the Milwaukee Bucks , presenting them with a new hurdle as they try to rally from a 2-1 deficit in their first-round series against the Indiana Pacers .
Milwaukee has already been playing without two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo , sidelined with a calf strain. Khris Middleton was listed as questionable entering Friday’s Game 3 before scoring 42 points in 41 minutes. And near the end of the fourth quarter, Damian Lillard aggravated an Achilles injury that he said hindered him during overtime.
“We are just taking a lot of hits right now as far as injury wise,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said after his team’s 121-118 loss in overtime .
Lillard finished with 28 points on 6-of-20 shooting in 45 minutes, but he did not take a shot and went scoreless during the overtime period. He told Rivers he wanted to stay on the floor to serve as a decoy for Middleton, who hit game-tying 3-pointers with 2 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, and again with 8 seconds remaining in overtime.