The Indiana Pacers are going to be without forward Jarace Walker for at least the first two games of the 2025 NBA Finals, coach Rick Carlisle said Monday, three days ahead of the team’s Game 1 showdown against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Walker sustained an injury to his right ankle during Indiana’s Game 6 win over the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals.
Walker was injured when he tried to contest a Karl-Anthony Towns shot attempt. He landed awkwardly, appearing to significantly roll his right ankle. He needed to be helped off the floor. Carlisle said that Walker was still using crutches as of Sunday.
“He’s going to be out for a while,” Carlisle said on 107.5 The Fan, via ESPN. “I don’t know how long. He certainly will not play in the first two games of the Finals.”
The No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Walker made five starts while appearing in 75 games during the regular season. He has played in 12 games this postseason, averaging 3.0 points and 1.8 rebounds in 9.8 minutes. He played sparingly in the Knicks series, only appearing in Games 5 and 6. Walker made two of his four 3-point attempts in the Game 5 loss and made his only field goal attempt in seven minutes prior to getting injured in Game 6.
Though he didn’t see much action against New York, the Pacers play a deep rotation and the 6-foot-7, 235-pound Walker could have been in line for an increased role — especially in Indiana’s efforts to defend Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams.
If Walker does only miss two games, he would return for Game 3 in Indianapolis on June 11.
