Aaron Nesmith’s shin injury was not as serious as first believed, and he was limited in Pacers practice following the All-Star break.
Last Wednesday, during a match against the Toronto Raptors, Aaron Nesmith, a wing player for the Indiana Pacers, sustained an injury. In the third quarter of the Pacers’ victory, Nesmith attempted a dunk between Jakob Poeltl and Immanuel Quickley, and upon landing, his leg twisted awkwardly. He left the game and did not return. The Pacers initially reported the 25-year-old as questionable for a return due to a sore right shin. Throughout the season, Nesmith has been dealing with pain in that area, even missing several games in January due to bilateral shin soreness. Recently, he has been wearing bandages on his leg. As the game in Toronto was the last before the All-Star break, limited information was available about the injury.
On Tuesday night, the Pacers returned to practice, and head coach Rick Carlisle provided some updates on Nesmith’s condition. Carlisle mentioned, “No update really other than not as bad as originally feared. He was limited today.” This marked the team’s first on-court session in five days, and Carlisle added, “We’ll see how he’s doing. He’s made significant progress each day so we’ll see where he is in a couple of days.”
Nesmith has missed a total of five games this season and has become a crucial player for the team, particularly as the starting small forward alongside Pascal Siakam. Despite the uncertainty about Nesmith’s availability, Carlisle indicated that he is walking around, taking shots, and doing well. More information about Nesmith’s status is expected on Wednesday when an official injury designation will be provided before the Pacers resume their regular season schedule.
Following Nesmith’s injury, players like Doug McDermott and Ben Sheppard saw increased playing time. Bennedict Mathurin, who was unavailable in Toronto, would likely have seen more playing time if Nesmith had not left the game. The performance of this group becomes crucial in case Nesmith is sidelined. In 51 games this season, Nesmith has been averaging 12.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.
