Amazingly, the Indiana Pacers made it back to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second year in a row. Though, this time they were successfully able to advance to the NBA Finals, where they have a matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
But it’s now or never if the Pacers want to win their first NBA Finals this year. Unfortunately, the Pacers will tip off their series while being a bit short-handed.
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According to Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, Indiana will be without forward Jarace Walker for Games 1 and 2 of the NBA Finals. Walker’s earliest potential return date is Game 3, which will fall on June 11. That gives him roughly a week and a half to heal.
Walker initially injured his ankle in the Pacers’ Game 6 win over the New York Knicks in the ECF, having to leave the arena on crutches. The 21-year-old backup power forward made 75 regular season appearances for the Pacers this season, averaging 15.8 minutes per game.
His minutes have seen a slight decrease during the NBA Playoffs, which is a common trend as coaches tighten their rotation. Still, Walker has been able to average 9.8 minutes per game in postseason play.
Meanwhile, the Pacers haven’t revealed the specific severity of Walker’s injury, so expecting him to return for Game 3 could be a stretch.
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