Pacers' Rick Carlisle Announces Injury Update Before Finals vs. Thunder

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | Last updated Jun 2, 2025 10:06 AM ET

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers are two eerily similar teams in the NBA -- though they are unique in their style.

The two sides boast serious depth, star-level talent and a connectivity most teams don't have.

While they might not be from New York City or Los Angeles -- since some fans, for some reason, care about market size -- the Thunder and Pacers are set to provide some elite play on the basketball court.

That's what matters, right? High-level basketball from two teams that play incredible styles? Right?

While some will complain about cities and market sizes, the actual play on the hardwood is going to be incredible for the series.

The Thunder have the Most Valuable Player, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will lead the way. The Pacers are led by All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton. Both guards have remarkable supporting casts.

Indiana will be without one reserve forward for at least the first two games of the NBA Finals, however, as Rick Carlisle announced that Jarace Walker will miss the games with an ankle injury suffered in their recent game against the New York Knicks

Jarace Walker is out at least the first two games of the NBA Finals due to an ankle injury suffered in Game 6, per Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle on @1075thefan (https://t.co/UhjokMs4yT).

The former No. 8 overall pick from the 2023 NBA Draft has played a reserve role thus far. pic.twitter.com/QhxeS3cQWQ
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) June 2, 2025

Walker was the No. 8 selection in the 2023 NBA Draft. While he's not yet a high-impact player on the Pacers, he's a solid reserve with plenty of potential to develop into a key contributor.

The Pacers forward has appeared in 12 games throughout the current playoff run, logging just under ten minutes per game.

While this won't necessarily be a needle-mover, being without a big-bodied forward on the bench doesn't help the Pacers.

The Thunder, on the other hand, enter the NBA Finals fully healthy. The 68-win squad looks to be a buzzsaw and heavy favorite to take down the Pacers, though many are expecting a close, fun series.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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