
The Pacers lost starting center Myles Turner during the first quarter of Thursday's game, as he exited after taking a Bennedict Mathurin forearm to the face. That meant more minutes for Bryant, who recorded his first double-double of the season. While Obi Toppin (10/6/2/1 in 28 minutes) started the third quarter, Bryant is likely to be the replacement in the starting lineup if Turner misses time.
Turner took an inadvertent forearm to the face from teammate Bennedict Mathurin and struggled to steady himself while attempting to get back to his feet. He was taken to the locker room to be evaluated for a concussion and has since been ruled out for the rest of the game. Thomas Bryant will play more minutes off the bench and should move into the starting lineup if Turner misses time.
Turner (ankle) will be sidelined for just the fourth time this season, which will allow Thomas Bryant to get his second start as a Pacer. In his previous start, Bryant had 22 points, eight rebounds, one assist, two steals and two 3-pointers in 28 minutes. He should be worth streaming in this game.
Mathurin (illness) and Nembhard (back) return to the Pacers' lineup after sitting out Wednesday's win over Detroit. As a result, Aaron Nesmith and Ben Sheppard head to the bench. Of those two, Nesmith has a better shot of preserving some of his fantasy value, although both will take a hit.
Initially considered questionable for Saturday's game, Mathurin and Nembhard participated in practice on Friday and have been cleared to play. Their returns mean Aaron Nesmith and Ben Sheppard will head to the bench, with the former having a better chance of retaining some fantasy value.