Jarace Walker will miss at least the first two games of the NBA Finals
Indiana Pacers forward Jarace Walker will be out for at least the first two games of the NBA Finals due to a right ankle injury suffered in the decisive Eastern Conference Finals game, coach Rick Carlisle told 107.5 The Fan on Monday.He will be out for a while. I don’t know how long. He certainly won’t play in the first two games of the Finals.
Rick Carlisle
Carlisle did not offer details about the severity of Walker’s injury, but noted that he was still using crutches on Sunday.
Walker was injured at the beginning of the fourth quarter of the sixth game against the New York Knicks on Saturday while defending a drive. His right leg appeared to bend awkwardly, and he remained on the floor for two more possessions before crawling off the court. He needed help from two trainers to leave the court, went directly to the locker room, and did not return to the game.
The Monday update means Walker will not play against the Oklahoma City Thunder until June 11 at the earliest. The first game is on Thursday.Walker didn’t play much in the series against the Knicks, but he made his only shot on Saturday, finishing with two points in seven minutes. He was Indiana’s first pick in the 2023 draft, at number 8.The fact that the Finals extend over a fairly significant period of time gives you the opportunity to recover.
Rick Carlisle
