Pacers' Aaron Nesmith sidelined for a month with left knee injury

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said that Aaron Nesmith will miss at least a month with a left knee injury.

The forward was hurt in the Pacers' loss at Phoenix on Thursday.

“It's likely going to be at least four weeks,” Carlisle said before Saturday's home game against Toronto. “Talk to me on (December) the 15th. But it's very good news — very, very good news. He's not in a brace. He's walking. I say it's likely going to be four weeks. That doesn't mean it couldn't be less. It's unclear at this time. But he's doing very well, and the news was very, very good.”

The Pacers are already without six players. All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton was lost for the season to a torn Achilles tendon suffered in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Forward Bennedict Mathurin scored 31 points in two games before being sidelined by a toe injury. Shooting guard Andrew Nembhard just returned after missing six games with a shoulder injury. Top reserve Obi Toppin was averaging 14 points in three games before going down with a stress fracture in his right foot.

Nesmith was averaging a career-best 15.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in 11 games. He scored a career-high 31 points in the Pacers' only win against Golden State on Nov. 1. The Pacers began the night 1-11.

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