Doc Rivers revealed initial assessments of Damian Lillard's leg injury were "not very promising" after the Milwaukee Bucks were pushed to the brink of an NBA Playoffs exit.

The Bucks have it all to do in their first-round series against the Indiana Pacers, having lost Sunday's Game 4 by a comprehensive 129-103 scoreline to fall 3-1 behind.

And if Milwaukee are to avoid seeing their season ended by Indiana for a second straight year, they may have to mount a comeback without Lillard.

He exited Sunday's game after just six minutes having sustained an injury to his lower left leg, with reports later suggesting the guard had an Achilles tendon issue. 

"They're going to do an image tomorrow," Rivers said at his post-game press conference. "Obviously, it's his lower leg and, just being honest, it's not very promising.

"I've seen injuries deflate teams, but tonight, that one hurt. 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."

Love you, Dame.  pic.twitter.com/Kx5vghnbCN

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) April 28, 2025

Myles Turner led eight Indiana players in double figures with 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting, and despite his efforts helping the Pacers draw closer to the Eastern Conference semifinals, his thoughts were with Lillard.

"Once he looked back, I think we all knew what it was," Turner said of Lillard trudging off with that non-contact injury. 

"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."

Lillard only returned to action for Game 2 of the Bucks' first-round series, having been sidelined for over a month due to deep vein thrombosis in his right calf.

Lillard averaged 3.4 successful 3-pointers per game during the regular season - the seventh-highest rate in the NBA.

Selected to his ninth All-Star Game this season, Lillard averaged 24.9 points and 7.1 assists - both 10th in the NBA - to go with 4.7 rebounds and a career-high 1.21 steals in 58 games.

Game 5 takes place at Fiserv Forum on Tuesday, with the Pacers one victory away from teeing up a clash with the Cleveland Cavaliers or Miami Heat, with the former 3-0 up in that first-round series.