Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard has been diagnosed with a left follow-up tendon to undergo surgery, the team announced Monday.

The MRI revealed the severity of the injury, which would end Lillard's season and put it at risk in the 2025-26 season due to the expansion of the injury's recovery schedule.

Lillard was injured in 129-103 Sunday night when he tried to keep the offensive rebound alive and knocked the ball off the Pacers before falling to the court without contact and knocking the ball off the pacer player.

When the defensive possesses on the other end of the floor, he grabs his left foot and sits on his knees with his elbow waiting for the game to stop work.

Lillard had to help from the floor and in the locker room, without any weight on his left leg. He left the arena on his walking boots and crutches Sunday night, with Bucks coach Doc Rivers admitting Lillard’s identity “not wished” after the game.

He returned to court about a month after being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis with his right leg. He missed the team's last 14 regular season and playoff first games before returning to the last two games, although he couldn't match his usual game - 7.0 points and 4.7 assists in 27-shot 6-shot 3-pointers (3 from 3 goals).

Lillard played 58 games in his second season in Milwaukee and looked even more comfortable. He is more efficient on the court, scoring 45% of the shot averaged 45% (38%) and became one of the leaders of Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Rivers admitted that the team was frustrated when Lillard fell midway through the first quarter of Game 4. The Bucks have never recovered and are now facing a 3-1 series deficit in their season entering Indiana Game 5 on Tuesday.

“He was one of the hardest people I’ve ever experienced – the hardest person psychologically, which is why he is who he is,” Antetokounmpo said after Sunday’s game. “And I believe he will overcome all the obstacles that will be before him.

"Everyone will be around him and no matter what obstacles he has to him, he will overcome them and we will help him overcome it."

Lillard will turn 35 in July and owe $113 million for the next two seasons, a guaranteed year for 2025-26 with player options in the 2026-27 season. He has scored 24.6 points in two seasons since the Bucks traded with Portland.

This damage lasted a series of Milwaukee injuries during the playoffs. Both Lillard or Antetokounmpo missed at least one playoff game in the last three playoffs. The Bucks also face the potential for a first-round exit for the third straight season, winning only one playoff series since winning the NBA championship in 2021.