Center Myles Turner is also listed as doubtful due to right calf soreness.

Sheppard played 26 minutes in Sunday’s win over the Heat at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, but after checking out in the third quarter he did not return and was sidelined for the rest of the game with an oblique strain.

The Pacers were already shorthanded, with guard Andrew Nembhard out for at least another week with knee tendinitis, forward Aaron Nesmith until at least December with a sprained left ankle and Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman long-term with Achilles tendon tears.

Nembhard and Nesmith are the Pacers’ two best perimeter defenders, and the 23-year-old Sheppard has quickly established himself as perhaps the third best, especially when it comes to defending bigger wings. Belmont’s 2023 first-round pick has started at shooting guard in their absence and has taken on the toughest defensive assignments they would normally have to handle. He guarded Miami’s Tyler Herro in two games this weekend after defending New York’s Jalen Brunson and Orlando’s Franz Wagner earlier in the week. On the offensive end, Sheppard accepted his role of not being ball dominant, but rather running the floor, hitting open shots and otherwise keeping the ball moving. He is averaging 5.8 points per game this year with 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists. In 20.9 minutes per game, he is averaging just 5.1 field goal attempts per game, but shooting 42.4% from the floor, including 40.4% from three-point range. Of his 66 total field goal attempts, 47 were three-pointers.