Doc Rivers on Giannis Antetokounmpo being cleared to play in Game 4: I doubt it

Jim Owczarski @JimOwczarski
#Bucks injury updates on Giannis Antetokounmpo, 📈Khris Middleton and 📉Damian Lillard for Game 4 vs. Pacers jsonline.com/story/sports/n… via @journalsentinel – 2:41 PM

Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Updated story with comments today from Doc Rivers: Damian Lillard suffers strained Achilles, Rivers says he’s ‘not looking great’ for Game 4
nbcsports.com/nba/news/damia… – 2:06 PM

Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
Doc Rivers, on Damian Lillard’s status for Game 4: “We don’t know yet. Not looking great.”
Did Lillard get an MRI?
Rivers: “Yeah, he did. They’re going to give us the results soon, so we should know a little bit later today.” – 1:32 PM

Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
Doc Rivers said that Giannis Antetokounmpo has an off day today.
Rivers: “He’s working out tomorrow. He’s going to go hard early and then we’re going to make a decision after that.”
Could Giannis work out early and be cleared to play?
Rivers: “I doubt it, but we’ll see.” – 1:30 PM

Jamal Collier @JamalCollier
Doc Rivers on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s status: “he’s working out tomorrow. Going to go hard, early and then we’re going to make a decision”
Would there be a possibility he worked out and played tomorrow? “I doubt it,” Rivers said. “But we’ll see” – 1:26 PM

Tony East @TonyREast
Rick Carlisle says that, like with Giannis, the Pacers will prep as if Damian Lillard is playing tomorrow. – 1:25 PM

Kelly Iko @KellyIko
Speaking at practice this afternoon, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said the team is preparing as if Giannis will be available for Game 4. – 1:24 PM

Scott Agness @ScottAgness
News of Lillard’s injury coming out as the Pacers wrap up practice.
Up 2-1, no Giannis and perhaps no Dame … they must take advantage of the circumstances. Regardless, Bucks are going to be the more tired team for G4.
Even before dropping 42pts, Middleton was questionable. – 12:47 PM

Henry Abbott @TrueHoop
Holy crap now Dame has an Achilles issue?
The best players in the world are being ground to pieces when the games matter most.
Why are Giannis, Zion, Jimmy, Kawhi, and Joel on fumes? Why can’t we see them at their best?
FREE FOR ALL: truehoop.com/p/why-is-this-… – 9:35 AM

Frank Madden @fmaddenNBA
Missing Giannis has a double-whammy effect on Bucks’ defensive rebounding — not only is he a really good individual rebounder, but without him the Pacers have zero fear of the Bucks hurting them in transition if they crash the offensive glass. – 9:05 AM

Jamal Collier @JamalCollier
Bucks coach Doc Rivers said Damian Lillard went to the locker room with an Achilles injury before playing the rest of Game 3.
“Dame was really struggling. In the overtime, he said I’ll be the decoy. I just can’t go, as far as explosion.” – 9:00 PM

Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
Doc Rivers, on Damian Lillard: “I think it’s his Achilles again, so we’ll see.”
Rivers: “Honestly, Dame was really struggling. In the overtime, he literally said, ‘I’ll be the decoy. I just can’t go as far as explosion.’ So I thought Dame just being out there was huge for us.” – 8:58 PM

Kevin O’Connor @KevinOConnorNBA
Bucks lose. This play by Dame is on my mind.
Final minute of regulation. Grifts for a foul on minor contact by tossing up an ugly shot. Flops.
Scored 28 points but went 6/20. Middleton is giving Milwaukee everything he can with Giannis out, but Lillard needs to be much better. pic.twitter.com/RgCle86X9L – 8:38 PM

Peter Vecsey @PeterVecsey1
It’s as if Doc Rivers was coaching the Pacers… – 8:36 PM

Kendrick Perkins @KendrickPerkins
That was a great ATO by Doc Rivers to get Middleton that 3 – 8:31 PM

Wes Goldberg @wcgoldberg
My biggest takeaway from this game is that Giannis is a quarter zip guy – 8:12 PM

Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
And Damian Lillard has come out to the Bucks bench at the start of the second quarter.
And Doc Rivers has put him back in the game with 11:38 left in the second quarter. – 6:17 PM

Evan Sidery @esidery
Damian Lillard is now gingerly walking back to the Bucks’ locker room.
Worst-case scenario for Milwaukee if they are now without Giannis and Lillard. – 6:08 PM

James Plowright @British_Buzz
Milwaukee’s shot quality and selection tonight has been awful. Also, several moments slow getting back in transition.
With no Giannis I think Pacers are the better team – 6:03 PM

Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
Doc Rivers talked about the Bucks’ need to touch the paint pregame tonight. Second possession, Patrick Beverley goes right at Tyrese Haliburton and draws a foul.
Two free throws and the Bucks are on the board in Indianapolis. – 5:45 PM

Jamal Collier @JamalCollier
Khris Middleton will be a game-time decision tonight, per Doc Rivers – 4:00 PM

Evan Sidery @esidery
Without Giannis Antetokounmpo on the court, the Pacers quickly realized nobody on the Bucks can guard Pascal Siakam.
Siakam is 12-of-18 shooting (66.7%) against Brook Lopez and 9-of-12 (75%) while defended by Khris Middleton.
Unless Giannis returns soon enough to take on the… – 3:13 PM