Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said Monday that Duarte (ankle) "is getting closer" but is unlikely to return to action during the team's ongoing seven-game road trip, Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star reports.
Carlisle wasn't definitively willing to rule Duarte out from returning before the road trip ends Dec. 7 in Minnesota, but the second-year wing still sounds like he has a few hurdles to clear in his recovery from the left ankle sprain before gaining full clearance. The injury Duarte suffered Nov. 4 will likely end up sidelining him for more than a month, paving the way for Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith to pick up more minutes on the wing.
