Danny Granger Doubtful for Season Opener


According to Indiana Pacers head coach Frank Vogel, Danny Granger likely won’t suit up for the first game of the season due to a lingering calf injury. Per the Indy Star: “There’s a chance he could play (against the Magic), but it’s probably unlikely,’ Vogel said. Granger did not play in Tuesday’s 107-89 preseason victory at Atlanta and will not play Friday night in the Pacers’ preseason finale at Dallas. He missed all but five games last season because of a knee injury. The calf strain, suffered Oct. 16 against Dallas, is not directly related to the knee injury, but Granger has not practiced for more than a week and Vogel is concerned that has kept the knee from being as strong as it needs to be. ‘That could be what makes this more than a day-to-day thing,’ Vogel said. Granger refused to rule himself out for Tuesday, however. ‘That’s why we keep saying ‘day to day.’ he said. ‘They’re kind of bringing me in to see how I’m feeling, so I don’t know.’ Granger had been the Pacers’ leading scorer for five consecutive years before last season. He is in the final year of his contract. Entering camp, he was in a close battle with Lance Stephenson — who replaced him in the starting lineup — for the fifth starting spot this season. The setback with the calf ensures Stephenson will start, Vogel said.”