As the Indiana Pacers prepare for the ultimate challenge of winning four games against the Oklahoma City Thunder, they also have a few injuries that they are nursing.
Aaron Nesmith, who was somewhat limited during the final couple of games in the conference finals, was happy to have this time off in between series.
“I needed them,” Nesmith said during Pacers media availability yesterday. “I was looking forward to these days off. I took them and I’ll be ready.”
Nesmith is not on the injury report but wasn’t ahead of Game 6 either. Hopefully the ankle is much less stiff after some time off and he’s back to being fresh as a daisy.
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Jarace Walker was not around the team during NBA Finals Media Day but he was seen still on crutches as he gave his Culver’s order to Tyrese Haliburton during his press conference after practice on Tuesday before the team flew out to OKC.
Carlisle has already confirmed that he will be out for at least the first two games of the Finals. With the obvious caveat that I’m not a doctor and know nothing, it seems unlikely that he’ll be able to play at all if he’s still moving on crutches this long after the injury. It’s fortunately listed as just a sprained ankle after what looked like it could be something much, much worse. Hopefully as we move deeper into the series, the team is able to see some progress in the right direction for the second year forward.
Tony Bradley told Tony East of Forbes and Locked on Pacers that his hip is fine and he’ll be ready to go if needed in Game 1. He’s listed as questionable with the hip strain suffered in Game 5 of the ECFs.
We also were able to see Isaiah Jackson getting some shots up during the open portion of Pacers practice yesterday, while I-Jax is still a ways from playing in an NBA game again it was encouraging to see the young center’s progress as he recovers from a ruptured Achilles.
\-#31-