Pacers News: Multiple Starters Land on Injury Report Ahead of Knicks Showdown

Ricardo Klein | Nov 9, 2024

Mar 27, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; A view of the Indiana Pacers logo on the shorts of guard George Hill (3) in the game against the Houston Rockets at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Indiana Pacers beat the Houston Rockets by the score of 104-101. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers will look to get back to .500 on Sunday against the New York Knicks; however, they could be without multiple starters.

The Pacers released their injury report on Saturday prior to their matchup against New York. Two starters are on the report, including one who will miss the game.

Dusty Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star shared the report via Twitter/X.

Per injury report, Aaron Nesmith still out, T.J. McConnell and Andrew Nembhard both questionable. Obi Toppin also questionable.

— Dustin Dopirak (@DustinDopirak) November 9, 2024

Nesmith is still out on Sunday due to an ankle injury. This absence streak will now extend to four games due to a sprained left ankle.

Three-year 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 listed as questionable 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, and he's questionable to feature in this upcoming content with the same injury.

He has already missed two of Indiana's last four games with knee issues. 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 is also listed as questionable due to illness. He missed Friday's contest and is in danger of missing a second consecutive contest. The questionable tag suggests that the veteran guard should be closer to a game-time decision.

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. He is listed as questionable due to a left ankle sprain. Toppin is a new addition to the injury report, and if he were to miss Sunday's game, it would hurt the Pacers' lack of depth in their frontcourt.

In nine appearances this season, he has scored in double digits in four of the nine games he has played off the bench.

The Pacers will take on the Knicks on Sunday at 5:00 PM ET.

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