Indiana Pacers injury updates for Aaron Nesmith, Daniel Theis, Kendall Brown, and TJ McConnell
The scene at the Indiana Pacers practice on Tuesday was a little different than usual. Forward Aaron Nesmith, who is having a career year with the Pacers, was in sweats instead of practice gear. On the other end of the court, big man Daniel Theis was getting some work in on the same basket as wing Chris Duarte. Theis was seen in practice attire for the first time in over a month.
Both of those developments were new. According to Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, Nesmith was dealing with an illness and did not practice on Tuesday.
"Aaron's been cleared to travel. He's got a non-COVID situation... he'll be probably listed as questionable tomorrow," Carlisle predicted. Nesmith is indeed listed as questionable for Indiana's game in New York on Wednesday. "He did not practice today, so we'll see how he's doing tomorrow morning," Carlisle added.
Nesmith is averaging 9.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per game this season. Theis, however, has not played for the blue and gold this campaign. He had surgery to address knee soreness earlier in the season, and his rehab progressed to the court recently.
His recovery has progressed even more this week, as he and wing Kendall Brown — who is dealing with a stress reaction in his right leg — can do more in practice now. "Theis and Kendall Brown are both cleared for light activity with the team. They both did some stuff today," Carlisle said Tuesday. He added that both players have made continual progress in their recovery and that it's a good sign that Brown is already cleared for action on the court.
There is no official timetable for Theis to make his Pacers debut. "He's weeks, not months, away," the head coach said.
The final injury that Carlisle addressed was related to T.J. McConnell's shoulder. McConnell, a veteran guard for the blue and gold, hurt his right shoulder in the third quarter of Indiana's battle on Sunday against the Charlotte Hornets. He exited the game and did not return.
On Tuesday, he was shooting free throws at the end of practice, and his shoulder looked fine. "I was in a lot of discomfort at the beginning. Not going to lie, I was a little worried," McConnell recalled of when the injury happened. He said that the Pacers training staff worked on it and made him feel better.
"It was stable. And then the MRI showed that nothing [was] seriously wrong, just a stinger. Just got to play through what pain there is," McConnell added. He is listed as questionable to play against the Knicks.
"He practiced today without issue, so he's okay," Carlisle described of McConnell's injury.
The Pacers have been mostly healthy this season, and these injury refreshers are generally positive. If Nesmith doesn't miss any time, then all of these updates will have little to know negative impact on the team's day-to-day operations.
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