The Indiana Pacers will be without big man Myles Turner for the next four games, after he suffered a ligament sprain and muscle strain in his right elbow, according to the team.
Turner sustained the injury in the Jan. 8 game against the Milwaukee Bucks and will not need surgery, rather being re-evaluated after the four-game period and being week-to-week, according to how the injury heals.
This is a big blow for the Pacers, who have won four out of their last five games, after suffering a five-game skid. In his absence, they'll rely on second-year big man Domantas Sabonis and his much-improved inside-out game with his new team.
Turner is the second leading scorer on the team with 13.9 per game, but Sabonis is one of six players averaging double figures scoring for the season, rounding out his 12.3 points with a team-leading 8.3 rebounds per game (2.5 offensive).
Thaddeus Young will see increased minutes at power forward while Sabonis will man the ship once again at center until Turner's return.
His stabilizing presence will play a major role in keeping this team moving forward and inside the playoff bubble, currently in the sixth seed with a 23-20 record for the season.
Surprisingly, the Pacers are 7-4 without Turner, as he missed seven games following his season debut. While they may fare fine on the offensive side of the ball, they will surely miss his shot-blocking presence, as he leads the team with 2.24 blocks per game — a mark that is currently second in the league after Kristaps Porzingis of the New York Knicks.
Follow Us
Subscribe