Pacers Bruce Brown, Andrew Nembhard out; Aaron Nesmith, Isaiah Jackson in for Celtics game

INDIANAPOLIS -- Pacers shooting guard Bruce Brown will sit out Saturday night's game against the Celtics, taking off the second night of a back-to-back, and guard Andrew Nembhard will also miss his third straight game with a mid-back sprain according to Pacers coach Rick Carlisle.

Forward Aaron Nesmith and center Isaiah Jackson, who were listed as questionable on Saturday's injury report t with a left ankle sprain and fractured right pinkie finger respectively, are expect to play according to Carlisle.

Brown missed five games with a right knee bone bruise, which he had been dealing with for most of the season, before returning Wednesday against the Bucks. He scored 15 points in that game and then 17 points on Friday night against the Hawks, but will get Saturday night off as he continues to recover.

Brown and Nembhard are two of the Pacers top perimeter defenders, so their absence will be felt against a Boston team with a lot of perimeter talent including guards Jrue Holiday and Derrick White and All-NBA wings Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. Brown and Nembhard are also key offensive pieces, as Brown averages 11.9 points per game and Nembhard averages 7.7 points and 4.0 assists per game.

Brown has started all 28 games he's appeared in this season and Nembhard started at shooting guard in the five games in which Brown did not appear, so it remains to be seen what the Pacers will do in their absences. Wings Bennedict Mathurin and Buddy Hield have both earned starts at small forward and could take the starting shooting guard job. Point guard T.J. McConnell could possibly start and will likely have a larger role either way, and rookie guard Ben Sheppard will likely see more minutes as well.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Pacers vs. Celtics: Bruce Brown, Andrew Nembhard out with injuries