Another Pacers big man out for the season after tearing Achilles

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana Pacers center Isaiah Jackson is done for the season.

The former first round pick tore his right Achilles tendon during the fourth quarter of Friday night’s loss in New Orleans. Jackson underwent an MRI in Dallas Saturday afternoon to confirm the news and, subsequently, end his season.

The Pacers announced that Jackson will require surgery to fix the injury. That procedure is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 4.

After the Pacers 125-118 loss to the Pelicans, head coach Rick Carlisle said he was “hoping it’s not the worst news,” clearly fearing that Jackson would join teammate James Wiseman on the season-ending injury list.

Wiseman was the first big man to get hurt for the Pacers. The newly acquired center sustained the same injury but on his left leg during the Pacers’ season-opener in Detroit 10 days ago.

Jackson has played in five of the Pacers six games this season, as he enters the final year of his contract. Jackson got his first start of the year against the Boston Celtics Wednesday in replacement of Myles Turner, who was out with an ankle injury. Jackson tied his season-high 10 points with five boards in the Blue and Gold’s overtime win. Turner returned to the starting line-up in New Orleans two days later.

Jackson was averaging seven points and 5.6 rebounds in the five games he’s played this season. The 22-year-old from Kentucky has spent his entire four-year career with Indiana, seeing the most action during the 2022-23 season. That year, he played in 63 games, averaging 7.2 points a contest.

The Pacers play the Dallas Mavericks on Monday, as Carlisle’s crew tries to right the ship after a lackluster 2-4 start to the season. The game in Dallas is scheduled to tip off at 9:45 p.m. ET. Then the Pacers return home to face the Magic for the second time this season on Wednesday in Gainbridge Fieldhouse.