Jordan Hill a last-minute scratch prior to Pacers-Bulls

The Pacers will be thin up front when they host the Chicago Bulls to Bankers Life Fieldhouse Friday evening (8:00 pm ET). Backup center Jordan Hill was a last-minute scratch, ruled out about 40 minutes before tip-off due to a sore lower back.

This is a bit of a surprise because when I asked coach Frank Vogel during his usual pre-game availability — one hour and 45 minutes before tip — he said all players except for the obvious, Myles Turner, were healthy and available.

Hill took the court for early warmups and that’s where his lower back bothered him.

With Hill and Myles Turner (left thumb) out with injuries and both Shayne Whittington and Rakeem Christmas assigned to their D-League team, the list of true bigs is short: starter Ian Mahinmi plus Lavoy Allen.

Hill, who the team signed to a one-year deal in the offseason, is missing his first game with the franchise. He becomes the seventh different Pacer to miss time due to injury this season. Friday’s game will be Turner’s sixth absence.

Up next, the Pacers head west for four games, beginning with Jordan Hill’s old team, the Los Angeles Lakers, at 9:30 pm ET on Sunday.