Aaron Nesmith Listed Probable for Friday, Because NBA Injury Reports Are Mostly Suggestions

Aaron Nesmith is officially listed as probable for Friday's game after dealing with a hamstring issue, according to Underdog NBA.

In the modern NBA, the probable tag is basically the medical equivalent of saying you are going to be five minutes late to dinner. He is almost certainly playing, but the team just wants it on the public record that his leg felt a little weird during shootaround.

"Underdog NBA reported Nesmith is probable for Friday."

The Indiana Pacers wing has been a crucial piece of their rotation, bringing the kind of chaotic defensive energy that makes opposing guards miserable. Missing him for any extended stretch would have been a massive headache for a team trying to keep its rotation intact and its perimeter defense from collapsing.

Hamstring injuries are notoriously tricky, though. One wrong step on a hard closeout and a minor tweak turns into a three-week vacation in street clothes. For anyone looking at Friday's player props, that lingering soft-tissue risk is enough to make you sweat out a defensive rebound total or a minutes-played over.

Expect Nesmith to suit up and take his usual minutes, but keep an eye on his early movement. If he looks stiff in the first quarter, the Pacers might have to pull the plug and rethink their weekend rotation.