Zach LaVine, Coby White Land on Injury Report Ahead of Pacers vs Bulls Matchup

It's a battle of Central Division play-in rivals Friday.

Jan 24, 2023; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA;Indiana Pacers guard Chris Duarte (3) shoots the ball while Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) and guard Zach LaVine (8) defend in the second quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Multiple key perimeter pieces will be missing, on both sides, in a Friday night fight between a pair of mediocre Central Division rivals: the 9-14 Indiana Pacers, the Eastern Conference's No. 10 seed, and the 10-13 Chicago Bulls, the East's No. 8 seed.

According to the league's latest injury report, the Bulls are far more banged-up than their Central Division peers.

All three of the Bulls' starting perimeter players — point guard Josh Giddey, shooting guard Coby White, and two-time All-Star small forward Zach LaVine — could all miss the fun with various maladies. Giddey is listed as probable to suit up with a sore right foot, Williams is merely questionable due to a sprained left ankle, and LaVine is probable to play through a tight low back.

But those are hardly the only rotation pieces for Chicago who will or might sit.

Oft-hurt reserve guard Lonzo Ball is questionable to play as Chicago manages his recovery from a left knee injury that cost him two-and-a-half seasons, starting power forward Patrick Williams is on the shelf with a left foot injury, and rookie power forward Matas Buzelis is questionable due to a nasal contusion, after taking a shot to the nose in Chicago's lopsided 139-124 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night. All three of Chicago's two-way players — power forward/center Adama Sanogo, power forward E.J. Liddell, and guard DJ Steward — are all with the team's G League affiliate in Hoffman Estates, the Windy City Bulls.

On the Pacers side, beyond the team's season-ending Achilles tendon tears to bench centers Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman, Indiana will once again be without starting small forward Aaron Nesmith (left ankle sprain) and backup shooting guard Ben Sheppard (left oblique strain). Starting shooting guard Andrew Nembhard, who recently made his return from a left knee injury, has been downgraded to questionable.

The bout tips off at 8 p.m. ET.

This story will be updated...

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