Indiana Pacers Jalen Smith and Bruce Brown doing well after injuries Tuesday
Despite suffering injuries during the Indiana Pacers win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night, Jalen Smith and Bruce Brown are doing well for the team and could be available for their game on Sunday.
Smith is dealing with a head injury. He got hit during a fight for a rebound in the second quarter and was forced to leave the game. While being evaluated for a head injury, he was transported to a local hospital.
Despite the scary moment, Smith seems to be doing well. He was present after Indiana practiced on Thursday, and he even got to ring the bell — an honor earned by players who make 20/25 three-point shots in an around-the-world style drill where they take five threes from five different spots. He seemed to be in good spirits.
"He came through better than expected," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said of Smith's injury. "He went through a significant portion of practice, but not all of it. He's done better each day, so we expect him to be a little better tomorrow."
Carlisle later said the hope would be that Smith is available for Indiana's next game, which isn't until Sunday. The team has a four-day break at a convenient time for Smith's injury.
"The prognosis was more positive than expected," Carlisle said.
Bruce Brown also got banged up during the game. With about eight minutes to go in the third quarter, he and Tyrese Maxey collided, and Brown's left knee appeared to be bugging him. He exited the game and chatted with the training staff.
Brown returned before the quarter ended, but he had a few moments where he appeared to be reaching for the knee and grimacing. He finished the night, though, and was visible at practice on Thursday with a brace on his knee.
"He's okay," Carlisle said of Brown. The newest Pacer finished the outing with 14 points, five rebounds, and three assists in the win, and he played crucial defense.
Both players appear to have avoided a long-term injury. More details will be known when injury reports are released later in the week, but the early signs for both Smith and Brown are positive.
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