Pacers News: Rick Carlisle Provides Injury Updates on Myles Turner, Ben Sheppard

Indiana is ailing, at just the wrong time.

Nov 13, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle looks on during the second quarter against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images / Mike Watters-Imagn Images

The 6-8 Indiana Pacers have a center problem.

Indiana is currently without all three of its top men in the middle: 3-and-D starting five Myles Turner is on the shelf with a sore right calf. His backups, Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman, are most likely done for the duration of 2024-25 with Achilles tendon tears.

Guard Ben Sheppard, meanwhile, is on the shelf with a left oblique strain.

According to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star, head coach Rick Carlisle relayed on Indiana station 107.5 The Fan that he expects Turner to return at some point this week — though he is a bit less bullish on a timeline for Sheppard.

"It's hopefully not a long-term thing," Carlisle said. "Wednesday [against the Houston Rockets] might be a possibility. If not then we hope Friday [against the Milwaukee Bucks] and if not, then we hope Sunday [against the Washington Wizards]. An oblique strain ... they're painful. The oblique is like a cracked rib, it only hurts when you breathe, that kind of thing. But this is not a serious one to my knowledge and to our knowledge. We got Shep out of the Miami game [on Sunday] soon enough before it became more aggravated. We'll hope for the best on that."

Turner, 28, is averaging a solid 17.6 points on .478/.424/.689 shooting splits, 6.8 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 1.4 assists and 0.9 steals a night across his 12 healthy contests.

Indiana recently brought in 7-foot-2 free agent journeyman big Moses Brown to spell Turner, and perhaps start in his stead here.

Read More: Indiana Signs Former G League Star Moses Brown to Bolster Frontcourt

Across four games in the G League's Tip-Off Tournament this year for the Westchester Knicks, the UCLA product averaged 18.5 points on 69.6 percent shooting from the field, 13.8 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, 1.3 assists and 1.3 steals a night. His NBA stats are decidedly more pedestrian, but he's a big body who can clean up around the rim, and he'll be serviceable until Turner comes back.

Sheppard, 23, has enjoyed a bigger role during his second season with the Pacers. The 6-foot-6 reserve swingman out of Belmont is averaging 5.8 points on 42.4 percent field goal shooting and 40.4 percent 3-point shooting, along with 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists a night.

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