Will Oscar Tshiebwe get a shot?
Photo by- Petre Thomas- USA TODAY Sports
By TYLER SMITH
ISL Editor
INDIANAPOLIS — It appears Pacers big man Jalen Smith has avoided serious injury. Smith departed the game against Portland on Monday, and it didn’t look great at the time. Head Coach Rick Carlisle said on Wednesday that Smith has a bone bruise in his left knee, and a left heel contusion, and also noted it’s a positive development compared to how things looked. Smith will miss the upcoming two games in Miami and hopes to be re-evaluated before the home tournament game on Monday.
Oscar Tshiebwe will be called up from the G-League, at least for the weekend. Fans have been asking about Tshiebwe and Jarace Walker for quite a while, especially considering the issues Indiana has faced with rebounding, toughness, and defense. The question is, will Tshiebwe get any run? Isaiah Jackson has played well recently backing up Myles Turner. For all of their issues, the Pacers do have plenty of depth- making it challenging for this coaching staff to find minutes for all who are deserving.
Tshiebwe has been dominating in the G-League. That doesn’t always translate to the NBA game. In fact, it often doesn’t. But when you look at the Pacers’ rebounding struggles, you have to wonder if he’s worth a look. Tyrese Haliburton recently called Tshiebwe the “best rebounder alive.” In six G-League games this season, he’s averaging 19.2 points, and a ridiculous 18.5 rebounds, in just over 29 minutes per game. He’s another Pacer that’s only 6’8, but you can’t teach toughness or how to pursue the basketball relentlessly.
Haliburton and Carlisle were both very frustrated after the loss on Monday, and I appreciated the passion that each showed in their post-game pressers.
It’s been a solid 9-7 start to the season for the Pacers, but the players, coaches, and fans all know things could have been a lot better. They’ve left a lot of wins on the table, including home losses to lower teams like Charlotte, Portland, and Chicago. Maybe they could use a spark. Maybe Tshiebwe could provide it. Time will tell.
