Ben Sheppard will undergo surgery on Wednesday for a torn meniscus, a setback that will keep the Indiana Pacers without one of their rotation guards. Rick Carlisle delivered the update before Indiana’s game with the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night.
Sheppard had already missed time after appearing in Indiana’s season-opening 123-120 victory at New Orleans, and his absence now has a clearer explanation even if the end point remains unclear. He averaged 7.1 points per game in 65 games last season, production the Pacers will have to replace while he is out.
The timing matters because Indiana has been managing more than one absence. The Pacers also played Monday night without Andrew Nembhard because of a back issue, leaving Carlisle with fewer backcourt options at a moment when the season is still taking shape.
What happens next is straightforward: Sheppard’s surgery is scheduled for Wednesday, and that is when the real recovery clock begins. Carlisle did not offer a timetable for his return, so the Pacers know they will be short-handed for now without knowing how long it will last.
