Indiana Pacers forward Jarace Walker will miss at least the first two games of the NBA Finals due to his right ankle injury suffered in the Eastern Conference finals clincher, coach Rick Carlisle told 107.5 The Fan on Monday.
"He's going to be out for a while. I don't know how long. He certainly will not play in the first two games of the Finals," Carlisle said.
Carlisle did not offer details on the severity of Walker's injury but noted that he was still on crutches as of Sunday.
Walker was injured early in the fourth quarter of Saturday's Game 6 over the New York Knicks while defending a drive. His right leg appeared to bend awkwardly, and he stayed down for two more possessions before crawling off the court. He needed help from two trainers to get off the floor, went straight to the locker room and did not return to the game.
Monday's update means Walker will not play against the Oklahoma City Thunder until June 11 at the earliest. Game 1 is on Thursday.
"The fact that the Finals are stretched out over a pretty significant period of time gives him a chance to recover," Carlisle said.
Walker did not play much in the Knicks series but made his only shot Saturday, finishing with two points in seven minutes. He was Indiana's first draft pick in 2023, No. 8 overall.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
