by Dustin Dopirak
INDIANAPOLIS — Pacers rookies Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard each got extended minutes in Saturday’s loss to the Timberwolves, but both were assigned Monday morning to the Indiana Mad Ants — the Pacers’ G League affiliate.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle spoke highly of Walker and Sheppard after Saturday’s game, so the assignment does not appear to be a performance-based demotion. However, the Mad Ants start play in the G League Winter Showcase on Tuesday in Orlando, Fla., with a chance at winning the Showcase Cup. Not only did they qualify for the eight-team single-elimination tournament, they have the No. 1 seed with a 13-1 record. They begin play at noon on Tuesday against the Capital City Go-Go — the Wizards’ G League affiliate — in a game to to be televised on ESPN2. Regardless of the results, the Mad Ants will get to play three games in three days in Orlando.
The assignment presumably means Walker and Sheppard will miss at least three games with the Pacers against the Clippers on Monday night, the Hornets on Wednesday night and the Grizzlies on Thursday night.
Walker has played 84 total minutes with the Pacers this season, appearing in eight games. He’s scored 30 points and has 11 rebounds and 11 assists. He has played three previous games with the Mad Ants and is averaging 26.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists in those games. Sheppard has scored 41 points in 90 total minutes with the Pacers. In G League play, he is averaging 15.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists.
Originally posted on indystar.com