INDIANAPOLIS — The short-handed Indiana Pacers will be down at least one more player for Tuesday night’s play-in game against the Charlotte Hornets after forward Caris LeVert entered the league’s health and safety protocol.
Team officials made the announcement about five hours before tipoff and a day after coach Nate Bjorkgren said LeVert was feeling better and was expected to play after missing the second half of Sunday’s victory over Toronto with a migraine headache.
It’s the latest twist for the Pacers in an injury-plagued season. Starting forward T.J. Warren hasn’t played since late December because of a stress fracture in his left foot. Center Myles Turner hasn’t played since mid-April because of a right foot injury. And now LeVert, who had surgery earlier this year to remove a cancerous growth in his kidney after being acquired in a January trade with Brooklyn, can’t return for 10 to 14 days — if the Pacers are still playing.
Backup guard Jeremy Lamb also has been ruled out Tuesday with an injured left knee and starting forward Domantas Sabonis is listed as questionable with an injured left quad.
Indiana enters the postseason as the No. 9 seed in the East and must beat the Hornets to advance to a second play-in game Thursday. Two wins would give Indiana the No. 8 seed in the playoffs and a first-round matchup with top-seeded Philadelphia.
But the Pacers could be getting a few players back.
Guards Malcolm Brogdon (right surgery), Aaron Holiday (right toe) and Edmond Sumner (left knee) are all considered questionable.
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