The Indiana Pacers are the epitome of the NBA’s walking wounded in the early going. The Pacers have eight players on the NBA’s injury report as they head to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves tonight at 7 p.m.
Pacers Rule Out 7 Players, When Will They Return
Indiana (0-2) entered the season with Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles tendon), T.J. McConnell (hamstring), Quenton Jackson (hamstring), and Kam Jones (back) on the sidelines. Andrew Nembhard left the Pacers’ opening night loss to Oklahoma City in the second quarter and didn’t return due to a strained shoulder. Nembhard and Johnny Funphy missed last night’s 128-103 loss to Memphis.
Speaking of last night’s loss, Indiana saw two players leave the game early. Taelon Peters, who saw 17 minutes off the bench against the Thunder, left the game against the Grizzlies due to groin soreness after two minutes. Meanwhile, Bennedict Mathurin left the contest in the third quarter due to right foot soreness. Mathurin tallied 26 points and four assists in 28 minutes of action before leaving the contest.
“It’s Benn’s forefoot,” Rick Carlisle said following Memphis’ game. “They’re gonna see how he is and whether he needs to get imaging done when we get to probably Dallas.
Indiana has already lost 92 player games to injuries, counting Haliburton’s full-season absence, and that number will increase substantially. Last year, the Brooklyn Nets led the league with 25 players missing games and totaling 536 games. Philadelphia had 23 players suffer injuries and miss a total of 513 games, with Joel Embiid, Jared McCain, and Paul George missing significant time.
Look At The Game Ahead
With all the injuries, particularly at point guard, it is no surprise that Indiana has struggled in the early going. The Pacers, who have been much better offensively than defensively under Carlisle, are just 28th in offensive efficiency through the first two games despite ranking 14th in scoring. They are 26th in defensive rating.
Mathurin has been excellent in his increased role, averaging 31 points and 7.0 rebounds with shooting splits of 54.8/50.0/88.5. Pascal Siakam, who is expected to carry the offense due to his versatility, averages 22.5 points, 10.5 boards, and 5.0 assists. Obi Toppin has been sensational off the bench, while Ben Sheppard and Aaron Nesmith are also averaging in double-figures.
Minnesota (1-1) opened the season with a 118-114 victory over Portland, but is coming off a 128-110 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. The Wolves will likely have a full squad tonight, with Rob Dillingham (nasal) the only player listed on the injury list.
Minnesota, looking to make at least its third straight Western Conference finals appearance, has struggled on defense. The Timberwolves rank 16th in offensive rating and 28th on defense.
Anthony Edwards, who poured in 41 points in the season opener and has tallied 72 in the first two contests, and Julius Randle lead the way for the Wolves. Jaden McDaniels and Donte DiVincenzo, who is playing the point for the first time, also average double-figures. Atlanta, Charlotte, and New Orleans lost 500+ player games to injuries.
Injury Report
Indiana Pacers
Indiana projects to have 11 players available for tonight’s game, with seven having been ruled out.
Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles tendon): Out for the season. Expected to be ready for training camp.
T.J. McConnell (hamstring): Expected back mid-November at the earliest.
Kam Jones (back): Out until at least November 9.
Bennedict Mathurin (right toe sprain): Out, though the length of absence is unknown. According to DeNiel Foot and Ankle Center, Mathurin’s absence will depend on the severity of the injury. He is likely to miss at least one week, which means he will miss at least three more games. If it is extremely severe, Mathurin could need surgery and be out until December.
Johnny Furphy (foot): Out, and he is likely day-to-day going forward. The Pacers don’t play again until Wednesday in Dallas.
Taelon Peter (groin): Out and is likely to miss at least one to two weeks.
Andrew Nembhard (strained shoulder): Nembhard is likely to be day-to-day in the future. Unless otherwise announced by the Pacers.
Quenton Jackson (hamstring): Considered probable for tonight, which is good news for the Pacers. He will likely be the team’s third-string point guard behind Sheppard and RayJ Dennis.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Rob Dillingham (nasal, fracture): Questionable, and if he doesn’t play tonight, he will be day-to-day in the future. The Wolves host Denver on Monday.
© Trevor Ruszkowski, Imagn Images
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