Pacers' Aaron Nesmith out for Sunday's game against Nuggets with shin soreness

DENVER -- Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith has been ruled out of Sunday's 3:30 p.m. game against the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets with bilateral shin soreness, according to the NBA's injury report Saturday.

Nesmith was listed as questionable with the same condition on Friday night against the Hawks and Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said in his pre-game press conference that he expected Nesmith to be a game-time decision. He was ruled available about 45 minutes prior to tip-off and scored 13 points on 5 of 6 shooting, making all three of his 3-point shots. He also grabbed four rebounds.

Nesmith is averaging 11.8 points per game and shooting 51.7% from the field and 46.6% from 3-point range. He's also considered one of the Pacers' best and most versatile defenders, so his absence will be felt on that side of the ball. He has started the last 10 games at small forward and his move into the starting lineup has coincided with a dramatic improvement for the Pacers' defense, which was one of the worst in the league. In the past 10 games, the Pacers have held opponents to 114.0 points per 100 possessions, which puts them 13th in the NBA in defensive rating. Wings Bennedict Mathurin and Buddy Hield would be the most likely options to start in his place.

Pacers rookie forward Jarace Walker was upgraded to questionable with an upper respiratory infection with which he has missed the last two games. He was not in Atlanta for Friday night's game against the Hawks due to the illness. Pacers All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton remains out with a strained left hamstring. He is expected to be held out for the Pacers' entire six-game road trip before he is re-evaluated, but he did make the trip with the team and is rehabilitating the injury with team athletic trainers.