Indiana Pacers Injury Report for 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament Final (Dec. 9): Latest on Myles Turner and Buddy Hield's status
It is down to just one game between the Indiana Pacers and Los Angeles Lakers to determine who will take home the NBA Cup in the NBA In-Season Tournament finals. The two teams will clash inside the T-Mobile Arena located in Las Vegas, Nevada this coming Saturday, December 9.
The game tips off at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time and ESPN has the television broadcast rights. For those who prefer to listen on the radio, ESPN Radio, SiriusXM, ESPN LA 710/1330 KWKW and 93.5/107.5 The Fan are the options.
NBA League Pass subscribers have the luxury of seeing the game through an online live stream.
According to the Indiana Pacers' injured list, Jalen Smith is marked as 'questionable' against the Lakers while Andrew Nembhard is out after suffering a knee injury against the Milwaukee Bucks. All other players, including X-factor players Myles Turner and Buddy Hield, are available in the NBA In-Season Tournament Final.
Myles Turner had a great game against the Milwaukee Bucks and went head-to-head with Brook Lopez, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis. The Pacers' center tallied 26 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks to help control the paint.
On the other hand, Buddy Hield is expected to spread the floor and have a better game after finishing with only eight points but he grabbed 11 boards and had two steals against the Bucks.
Indiana Pacers are shocking the world
Before the start of the NBA In-Season Tournament, many were not expecting the Indiana Pacers to go this far and become the top team in the NBA Eastern Conference gunning for the NBA Cup.
As the Pacers went to a rebuild for the past couple of years, this team making the In-Season Tournament finals means a lot for the franchise who had been struggling to be a contender since Paul George was on the team.
"It means the world to us as a group," Point guard Tyrese Haliburton said. "I think this was the whole point of the in-season tournament, to see a young group like ourselves compete and come out here and fight. I think we're shocking the world right now. Nobody expected us to be here except for the guys in the locker room. That means a lot to us, so it feels good."
Tyrese Haliburton was the Pacers' leader against the Bucks as he registered 27 points, 15 assists and seven rebounds. Entering this game, the Pacers and Lakers split their two encounters in the 2022-23 season.