The toe injury suffered by Pacers center Myles Turner could possibly end his season, an orthopedic foot and ankle trauma doctor at IU health told the Indianapolis Star.
Should Turner need surgery, it would likely take up to six months to heal, according to Dr. Jan Szatkowski, via the Indy Star. The Pacers said Tuirner has a partial tear of the plantar plate in his right big toe and is out indefinitely.
Szatkowski told the Indy Star that the injury often requires surgery.
“We see it in all athletes,” said Szatkowski, who has not examined Turner. “Not very commonly in basketball, but we do see it occasionally in basketball.”
Prior to the injury, Turner was a candidate for NBA Defensive Player of the Year, averaging 12.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.4 blocks in 47 games.
The Pacers (26-31) have lost three straight and four of five entering Wednesday’s home game vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder. They currently sit in ninth place in the Eastern Conference.
Along with Turner, they have suffered a string of injuries, including those to Domantas Sabonis (back), Doug McDermott (ankle), and T.J. Warren (foot, out for season). Also, Turner’s replacement at center, Goga Bitadze, suffered a sprained ankle in Monday’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs and didn’t finish the game.
“It’s the NBA,” guard Caris LeVert said of the Pacers being shorthanded. “It’s a next-man-up mentality. I feel like Oshae Brissett and Goga did a great job, JaKarr Sampson as well when he was in there. That’s just how it is right now. The season is condensed, there’s little knick-knack injuries everywhere, but every team’s going through it.
“We don’t want to make that an excuse. We’ve got to play better as a team.”
