Pacers' Myles Turner out indefinitely with toe injury

The Indiana Pacers will be without a key figure as they pursue a playoff berth. 

On Monday, Indiana confirmed that starting center Myles Turner is out indefinitely with a partial tear of his plantar plate in the great big toe of his right foot. The 25-year-old had previously missed time but played 34 minutes in Sunday's 129-117 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. 

According to ESPN stats, Turner leads the NBA with 3.4 blocks per game and is widely viewed as a top Defensive Player of the Year candidate. He's also averaging 12.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assists. 

Monday's update suggests he'll be out for the final month of the regular season. 

As Jenna Ciccotelli wrote for Bleacher Report, Turner was sidelined for six games because of a sprained ankle before Sunday's defeat. He was also out for a couple of contests after he suffered an avulsion fracture in his right hand in January. 

The Pacers head into Monday's game versus the San Antonio Spurs at 26-30 and ninth in the Eastern Conference standings.