Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle provided an encouraging update on injured point guard T.J. McConnell on Sunday, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required).
McConnell, 33, strained his left hamstring in Indiana’s preseason opener on October 7. Carlisle said a couple days later that the veteran backup would miss at least a month — this is the first official update since then.
“T.J. is getting closer,” Carlisle said. “I know he had a workout today. I hadn’t heard how that went but I heard he’s been ramping up pretty steadily.”
According to Dopirak, Carlisle also gave an update on rookie guard Kam Jones, who has been out since early October due to a lower back stress reaction. Carlisle said the 38th pick in this year’s draft is making progress but his return is not imminent.
As Dopirak notes, the Pacers have been battered by a series of injuries this fall, with nine players out tonight at Golden State. The team has been hit particularly hard at point guard, though Andrew Nembhard was able to return yesterday after missing seven games (and most of an eighth) because of a left shoulder injury.
The defending Eastern Conference champions are currently 1-8 amid the discouraging wave of injuries.