The Cleveland Cavaliers are heading into tonight’s matchup against the Pacers shorthanded - and that’s putting it lightly. Darius Garland is sidelined due to toe injury management, and Lonzo Ball is out with an illness.
They join a growing list of absentees that already includes Larry Nance Jr., Max Strus, and Jarrett Allen. That’s a significant chunk of Cleveland’s core unavailable, forcing the Cavs to dig deep into their rotation and rely on some unfamiliar combinations against a Pacers team that’s trending upward.
Around the Central Division, the injury bug isn’t playing favorites.
In Chicago, Coby White is listed as doubtful for the Bulls' game against the Magic. He’s dealing with left calf tightness and congestion - a tough break for a player who’s already missed time this season with a calf strain.
When he’s been on the floor, White has been electric, averaging 24.2 points and 6.2 assists in just five games. His absence would be a major blow to a Bulls team still trying to find its rhythm.
Elsewhere on the injury report: Noa Essengue, Jalen Smith, and Isaac Okoro are all out, while Zach Collins is also listed as doubtful. It’s shaping up to be a night of patchwork lineups across the division.
In Indiana, the Pacers are showing signs of life - and Pascal Siakam is leading the charge.
With Tyrese Haliburton out for the season, the offensive load has shifted squarely onto Siakam’s shoulders. And so far, he’s embracing the role.
Siakam has posted back-to-back 24-point performances, helping Indiana secure wins over the Wizards and Bulls and doubling their win total in the process. That’s no small feat for a team that stumbled to a 2-16 start after reaching the Finals last season.
For Siakam, the message is clear: no more taking anything for granted.
“You can’t take it for granted,” he said after the win. “Every single night you go out there, and when you’re used to winning you take it for granted.
I think every day we go out there, every single possession that we win, every single run that we have, every single win, we gotta take it and enjoy it and know - which is the most important - know what it took for us to get to that. We’re tired of losing.
We can’t keep losing. That has to be our mindset.
We have to give everything for that.”
That kind of mentality is exactly what Indiana needs right now. With Haliburton out, the Pacers are leaning on Siakam not just for scoring, but for leadership. And he's delivering both.
Meanwhile, rookie forward Johnny Furphy is working his way back into game shape. After spraining his left ankle in early November, Furphy was recently assigned to the G League’s Noblesville Boom for a short stint before being recalled.
The 2024 second-round pick has appeared in three games this season, coming off the bench in what’s been a limited role so far. But with Indiana’s rotation in flux, there may be opportunities ahead for the young forward to carve out a bigger role.
As December kicks off, the Central Division is dealing with its share of adversity - but it’s also offering up some compelling storylines. Between the Cavaliers’ injury woes, the Bulls’ uncertainty around Coby White, and the Pacers’ push to climb out of an early-season hole, there’s no shortage of drama. And with players like Siakam stepping up, the path forward - while bumpy - still holds plenty of promise.