Pacers center ruled out vs Raptors

On By Littum

Pacers center Myles Turner has been ruled out of Monday’s game against the Raptors in Toronto with a strained right calf after scoring 34 points and grabbing nine rebounds in Sunday’s win over the Heat.

Turner was listed as questionable on the injury report, but Pacers public relations confirmed to IndyStar that he will not be available.

Turner’s injury means six Pacers players are listed as out for Monday night’s game. All six were part of the Pacers’ rotation when the season began. Guard Ben Sheppard suffered a strained left oblique in Sunday’s win over the Heat and was held out of the fourth quarter, then ruled out earlier Monday. Forward Aaron Nesmith has been out since Nov. 1 with a sprained left ankle and won’t return until December. Guard Andrew Nembhard has been out since Nov. 8 with tendinitis in his knee and won’t return until at least a week. Centers Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman are out with Achilles tendon tears and may not return this season.

Turner, a 10-year Pacers veteran and the franchise’s all-time leader in blocks, is averaging 17.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game this season, shooting 47.8% from the floor and 42.4% from 3-point range. He was the lone center left on the roster with Jackson and Wiseman injured. Forward Obi Toppin will likely start in his place at center, and rookie forward Enrique Freeman will likely take the minutes as the center unit’s second unit.

The Pacers will have to make a decision on who will start in place of Ben Sheppard and must choose between point guard TJ McConnell and forward Jarace Walker. The Pacers will have only eight players on full-time contracts available, including veteran James Johnson Jr., who rarely plays. The Pacers will need minutes from rookie Johnny Furphy as well as all three players on two-way contracts — Freeman, guard Quenton Jackson and rookie guard Tristen Newton, who has yet to appear in a game this season but made the trip to Toronto and is active.