When Kevin Durant suffered a torn Achilles tendon while playing for the Golden State Warriors in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals, he ended up missing the entirety of the 2019-20 season. He later told ESPN's Baxter Holmes he had feared the injury would be career-ending.

Lillard's comments show that he's still determined to return to action. Recovering from an Achilles tendon tear has never been an easy task. However, the nine-time All-Star is determined to be healthy and back on the floor for the Bucks.

Ahead of the game, head coach Doc Rivers mentioned how Milwaukee was motivated to get a win that night in Lillard's honor. And after the fact, star Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo explained how disappointed he was that they didn't pull that off.