Sumner out, Lamb to return as Pacers face Nets

The Indiana Pacers will get one of their most talented scorers back for Wednesday night’s game against the Brooklyn Nets, but they’ll be without one of their most effective contributors thus far in 2019-20.

Coach Nate McMillan told the media at Wednesday’s shootaround that guard Jeremy Lamb will return to the starting lineup after missing the 0-3 Pacers’ previous two games with a bruised right hip. The 27-year-old Lamb was signed over the offseason to help fill in for the injured Victor Oladipo, then provide shooting off the bench once the two-time All-Star returns. Lamb has averaged 10.2 points per game over eight NBA seasons and had 10 points in Indiana’s season-opening loss to the Pistons.

23-year-old Edmond Sumner, meanwhile, has surprisingly been one of the Pacers’ best all-around players so far this season after being injured for the majority of his rookie campaign and spending much of last season in the G League. But he’ll have to hit pause Wednesday as he deals with a sore right hand. In three games, including two starts, the former second-round pick is averaging 7.0 points, 2.0 assists and a team-leading 1.7 steals per contest while providing consistent energy.

Lamb will step right back into the starting shooting guard role that he filled in opener — the same spot that Sumner started in for the Pacers’ last two games.