Walker, now of the Indiana Pacers, finds himself in an unsure position. He injured his right ankle in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals, also known as the Knicks series. Walker went down with the injury at the start of the fourth quarter, and it was feared that he would miss the NBA Finals starting next Thursday.
The Pacers capped the night off with a convincing 125-108 win over the Knicks, though the win was marred by Walker’s gruesome injury. As Walker defended the drive, his right leg bent in a violent direction. Teammates and coaches quickly went public with their displeasure. After staying down for two possessions, he limped off the court with the help of two trainers.
After the collision, Walker immediately headed to the locker room and did not re-enter the contest. He appeared in crutches postgame, indicating the severity of his injury. This had both supporters and experts on edge for what looked to be a serious injury.
Rick Carlisle, coach of the Indiana Pacers, voiced his concern when Walker received the designation.
“I did not see a replay so I don’t know how much, how far it turned over, how much weight he had on it. But when a guy goes down and stays down like that, you’re always holding your breath.” – Rick Carlisle
The Pacers have done Walker a favor by providing him with four full days of rest before the game. Game 1 of the NBA Finals begins on Thursday night. We continue to keep a positive thought for a quick recovery. Carlisle’s indecision reminds us that ankle injuries can be among the least predictable maladies in professional sports.
If Walker is healthy, the Pacers should help him pick up that slack to keep him on the floor for a deep run. His on-court contributions, defensively and offensively, will have ripple effects both within team chemistry and team performance as a whole in the Finals. Team officials will keep a close eye on his recovery in the coming days, with fingers crossed July comes up with good news.
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