Pacers Injury Report: Multiple Starters Game Status Revealed For Knicks Matchup

Ricardo Klein | Nov 10, 2024

Oct 25, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle reacts as he coaches against the New York Knicks during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers will host their long-time rival, the New York Knicks, on Sunday for their 10th game of the 2024-25 season.

The Pacers will look to get back to .500 after dropping their match against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday. They'll also look to push the Knicks below .500.

This game should be one of the better ones on Sunday's slate, as it features 11 games.

The Pacers will look to give their best shot against the Knicks; however, they will be without three key players: starting forward Nesmith, guard Andrew Nembhard, and forward Obi Toppin.

Injury Report for today's game against the Knicks:

T.J. McConnell - Available (non-covid illness)
Obi Toppin - Out (left ankle sprain)
Andrew Nembhard - Out (sore left knee)
Aaron Nesmith - Out (left ankle sprain)
Isaiah Jackson - Out (right achilles tendon tear)
James Wiseman… pic.twitter.com/AFkVN0Hd3C

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) November 10, 2024

Nesmith is ruled out on Sunday due to an ankle injury. This absence streak will now extend to four games due to a sprained left ankle. He will be out until at least December.

Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin, who has been spectacular, should continue to receive increased attention in his absence. Nesmith's next chance to suit up is Wednesday's matchup with Orlando.

Mathurin has been carrying the load thus far as a starter, averaging 19.3 points per game while shooting 49 percent from the field.

Nesmith was seen wearing a walking boot earlier in the week after he suffered the injury last Friday, Nov. 1, against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Indiana's other starting guard, Andrew Nembhard, is ruled out due to a knee injury. Nembhard was a late scratch on Friday prior to his loss to the Charlotte Hornets due to left knee soreness.

He has already missed two of Indiana's last four games with knee issues, and this will mark three of the last five. In the season, Nembhard is averaging 7.3 points per game, 2.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists and is shooting 38.5 percent from the field and 23 percent from three in seven games.

Pacers backup guard T.J. McConnell, who was listed as questionable due to illness, is set to play. He missed Friday's contest, the first game he had missed early this season.

McConnell is having a solid start to the year, averaging 9.8 points and 4.1 assists per game across eight appearances off the bench in 2024-25.

Second-year Pacer Obi Toppin is the final player on the injury report and will be unavailable. He is ruled out due to a left ankle sprain. Toppin was added to the injury report on Saturday and was initially listed as questionable.

The Pacers will look to get back to .500 without three of their key players.