Indiana Pacers guard Chris Duarte will likely miss four-to-six weeks after sustaining a Grade 2 ankle sprain in Friday’s 101-99 victory over the Miami Heat.
Duarte was coming off a career-high, 30-point performance in Monday’s 116-109 road loss to the Brooklyn Nets before stepping on the foot of Heat guard Kyle Lowry in the first quarter on Friday.
Duarte was a second-team All-Rookie selection last season after the 13th overall pick in 2021 averaged 13.1 points per game, sixth-most among all first-year players in the NBA.
He has averaged 8.9 points in nine games, including five starts, this season for an Indiana team that has won three of four following a 1-4 start.