Veteran center Domantas Sabonis and the Indiana Pacers have established an impressive performance on Wednesday night at Cryptom.com Arena where they upset the Los Angeles Lakers, 111-104. In 35 minutes of action, Sabonis posted 20 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, and one block. He also shot 9-of-12 from the field and 2-of-2 from the three-point range.
Though he stayed on the court until the end, Sabonis didn’t leave the game unscathed. It was recently revealed that the veteran big man suffered an injury in their recent game against the Lakers.
Domantas Sabonis Dealing With Ankle Injury
Sabonis sustained the ankle injury in the fourth quarter of their game against the Lakers. With four minutes and 54 seconds left on the clock, Sabonis was fighting for an offensive rebound when he landed on the foot of Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook. Instead of being cautious about his injury, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said that Sabonis insisted on staying on the court.
"He was not gonna come out of this game," Carlisle said, as quoted by The Indianapolis Star. "He was determined to help will us to the win along with Caris [LeVert] and the guys who were out there."
Coach Rick Carlisle On Domantas Sabonis Injury
After their game against the Pacers, Carlisle shared his assessment of Sabonis’ injury. According to the 62-year-old coach, Sabonis’ left ankle sprain is probably "going to be significant." Carlisle’s statement could be interpreted in different ways. By saying the word significant, it could mean that Sabonis could miss plenty of games which could tremendously affect the Pacers’ chances of winning in their upcoming matchups.
Also, it could have an effect on his trade value. Earlier this season, rumors are circulating the Pacers are planning to move Sabonis and other veteran stalwarts before the 2022 NBA trade deadline.
Addressing Logjam At Frontcourt
Aside from Sabonis, Pacers center Myles Turner is also dealing with an injury. A recent diagnosis revealed that Turner has suffered a stress reaction in his left foot. If Sabonis’ injury has the same timeline as Turner’s, Sam DiGiovanni of ClutchPoints believed that Turner and Sabonis may have already played their last game together in Indiana.
"If both Sabonis and Turner remain out for the next few weeks, they may have already played their last game as teammates," DiGiovanni wrote. "It may be for the best for the Pacers to move on from one of the big men and reshape the roster, as their chances at making the playoffs are not very good."
Pacers Big Men Receiving Strong Interest On Trade Market
Since rumors about their plan to undergo a full-scale rebuild spread around the league, several teams that are in dire need of a frontcourt boost have expressed a strong interest in acquiring Turner and Sabonis from the Pacers. Among the rumored suitors of Turner and Sabonis include the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and the Charlotte Hornets.
To maximize their trade value, the Pacers should wait for Turner and Sabonis to regain 100 percent health before dealing them to another team.
]]>The Inquisitr
