Pacers forward Jarace Walker is expected to miss at least the first two games of the NBA Finals and possibly more than that, head coach Rick Carlisle said during a Monday morning appearance on 107.5 The Fan in Indiana (YouTube link; hat tip to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star).
Walker sustained a right ankle injury – diagnosed as a sprain – during Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday and was using crutches in the locker room after the game.
“He’s going to be out for a while,” Carlisle said today. “I don’t know how long. He certainly will not play in the first two games of the Finals. He was still on crutches (on Sunday). I’m certain he’ll be listed as out for those two initial games.”
The Pacers’ head coach went on to point out that the Finals are “stretched out over a pretty significant period of time,” which could give the second-year forward a chance to recover before the series is over, though Carlisle would offer no guarantees.
The No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 draft, Walker was in and out of Indiana’s rotation this season, averaging 6.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 15.9 minutes per game across 75 outings (five starts).
Walker’s role has remained inconsistent in the playoffs — he appeared in all five first-round games against Milwaukee and logged double-digit minutes in four of them, but averaged just 6.0 MPG in round two vs. Cleveland and didn’t see any action in the first four games of the conference finals against New York. The 21-year-old had six points in 13 minutes in Game 5 and played seven minutes in Game 6 before injuring his ankle.
While Walker’s absence likely won’t have a major impact on Carlisle’s rotation decisions, the Pacers’ coach has shown a tendency to dig deep on his bench if necessary, turning to third-string center Tony Bradley repeatedly during the conference finals. He’ll have one fewer option available to him while Walker recovers.