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Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle Announces Brutal Ivica Zubac Injury Update
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- Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle Announces Brutal Ivica Zubac Injury Update
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
The Indiana Pacers beat the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday to improve to 2-1.
However, center Ivica Zubac suffered a left ankle injury and left the Barclays Center on crutches.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype that Zubac got an X-ray on his left ankle, which came back negative. The former LA Clippers big man is not expected to play tonight against the Milwaukee Bucks.
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Zubac is averaging 9.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game this season. He's shooting 60.0% from the field and 50.0% from the foul line.
The Pacers lost their first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft on Mother's Day during the draft lottery because of the Zubac trade with the Clippers last season.
Indiana needed to land in the top four to keep its pick after trading it with protections to LAC for Zubac. The trade sent two of the Pacers' first-round picks to the Clippers: one in 2029 and either this year's first if it fell outside the top four or a 2031 unprotected first-rounder if it did not.
Because the Washington Wizards moved up in the lottery, Indiana landed fifth, so the pick went to LAC instead.
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The Pacers could have drafted AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer or Caleb Wilson. Instead, they have to pray that Zubac plays like an All-Star this season alongside Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton .
Zubac entered last season fresh off a breakout campaign, during which he finished fourth in the league in rebounding (12.6 per game) while making second-team All-Defense. He was well on his way to averaging his second straight double-double before injuries interfered and he was ultimately traded from the Clippers to the Pacers.
This season, he is the interior anchor for a Pacers squad that will try to return to prominence with their core players healthy. Zubac's rebounding and defense will be key to the Pacers' postseason aspirations.
Haliburton said Zubac is by far the best screener he's ever played with. The Pacers' pick-and-roll offense should be elite this season with Haliburton and Zubac leading the way.
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After all, Haliburton is one of the top passers in the NBA.
After the Pacers play the Bucks tonight, they host LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers on October 28. Let's see if Zubac plays in that game. Indiana will need him against Joel Embiid.
The Pacers won only 19 games last season. They will be a playoff team again this season since Haliburton is back.
