Pacers May Face Celtics Down Multiple Starters in Second Game of Back to Back

Indiana hopes to improve its win streak with a pair of games on Thursday and Friday.

May 25, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) pulls in a rebound as guard Jrue Holiday (4) and center Al Horford (42) look on during the first quarter of game three of the eastern conference finals against the Indiana Pacers in the 2024 NBA playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The 15-15 Indiana Pacers aspire to improve their season-best five-game win streak with a pair of clashes against some of the NBA's best teams across the next two days. On Thursday, Indiana will square off against the 23-5 Oklahoma City Thunder — the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. On Friday, the Pacers will face the 22-8 Boston Celtics, who've lost two straight games for the first time this year.

In their quest to burnish their record against some of the top squads in the league this year, the Pacers could get a bit of a lucky-for-them injury break.

Per the Celtics' official team X account, both six-time All-Defensive guard Jrue Holiday and one-time All-Star center Kristaps Porzingis could sit out for the contest. The Boston starters are both officially considered questionable to play. Holiday, 34, missed the Celtics' narrow 118-114 home loss on Christmas to the 11-17 Philadelphia 76ers with a right shoulder impingement. That ailment appears to be lingering. Porzingis, meanwhile departed the defeat after playing just 13 first half minutes, and his fate Friday is still seen as questionable due to a left ankle sprain.

Porzingis sat out the 2024 title winners' first 17 games this season while rehabilitating from a summer surgery. In his 11 healthy games this year, the 7-foot-2 big man out of Latvia is averaging 18.3 points on .453/.328/.849 shooting splits, 6.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.5 blocks and 0.7 steals per.

The 34-year-old Holiday added his second Olympic gold medal to his second NBA title with Boston this summer alongside All-NBA Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton. He and Celtics backcourt mate Derrick White rank among the two most feared perimeter defenders across the league. They're in good company with Boston, which boasts plus defenders at all five starting positions. Holiday, who finished sixth in Defensive Player of the Year voting last spring, is averaging 12.2 points while slashing .448/.326/.889, 4.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 0.9 steals a night.

Heading into tonight's clash with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Pacers are grappling with a few hurt rotation players themselves. Starting wing Aaron Nesmith remains on the shelf with a left ankle sprain, though head coach Rick Carlisle has indicated he could return soon. Starting center Myles Turner, who's dealing with a right oblique contusion, is available. Backup center James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson remain rostered but done for the year due to their respective torn Achilles tendons.

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