The Pacers faced another setback on Wednesday night. Center Ivica Zubac has been sidelined for the rest of the season with a fractured rib, as reported by Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. This injury emerged following Indiana's matchup against Portland, although the exact moment it happened is still unclear.
Zubac had to leave the game early after taking an elbow from Donovan Clingan, initially suffering from a head contusion. The rib injury was discovered later on.
It’s a tough break for Zubac, who was just finding his rhythm after being traded from the Clippers at the deadline. In his brief stint with Indiana, he played five games, averaging 11.6 points and 7.2 rebounds, but unfortunately, he didn’t see a win during that stretch.
However, the long-term vision for the Pacers remains steady. They brought in Zubac with the future in mind, aiming to create a strong pairing with Tyrese Haliburton once Zubac is back to full health.