The Pacers head into Wednesday night’s game in Memphis with a long injury list and a handful of key names back in the clear.
Indiana listed six players as questionable and four as out for the matchup with the Grizzlies, but Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith are all off the report. Larry Nance Jr. is also not listed.
Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. ET.
Among the questionable group, Kelly Oubre Jr. is dealing with a left calf contusion, Obi Toppin has a lumbar strain, and Ivica Zubac is working through a left ankle sprain. Braden Smith, Kobe Brown and Jalen Slawson are also questionable, though all three carry G League two-way designations.
Indiana’s four absences are Tyrese Haliburton, T.J. McConnell, Ben Sheppard and Johnny Furphy. Haliburton is out with a left hamstring strain, McConnell with a right hamstring strain, Sheppard after left meniscus surgery, and Furphy because of a right ACL repair.
Siakam, Nembhard, Nesmith and Nance were all unavailable Monday night in Indiana’s 108-104 home loss to the Atlanta Hawks, but none of them are on Wednesday’s report. Siakam rested for the second half of a back-to-back, while Nembhard was listed with cervical injury management, Nesmith with left hamstring injury management, and Nance with an illness.
Oubre’s status is worth watching after he was a late scratch Monday. After the game, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Oubre was unable to play at the last minute, which he believed was tied to a bruised knee.
The official box score, though, listed him as a coach’s decision. Oubre had scored 11 points on 3-of-8 shooting in the previous game against the Brooklyn Nets, including two 3-pointers.
Toppin’s situation has been lingering since before shootaround on Oct. 30 in Miami, when his back went out and he was scratched later that day. He was also marked as a coach’s decision in Monday’s box score.
The No. 8 pick in the 2020 draft, Toppin arrived in Indiana from the New York Knicks in a 2023 trade. He posted 16 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists off the bench in the Oct. 25 win at Brooklyn.
Zubac injured his left ankle in that same game against Brooklyn. He missed his third straight game in the Oct. 30 loss in Miami and did not dress Monday. Jay Huff has filled in for him, starting at Milwaukee on Oct. 26 and again against Atlanta, when he put up 22 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks in 40:06.
Indiana’s three two-way players - Smith, Brown and Slawson - all logged heavy minutes Monday. Two-way players can spend up to 50 games with the NBA club, and the trio combined for 47 points in 120:43.
Smith made his first career start and played 42:13, finishing with 19 points and 10 assists. He exited with 58.7 seconds left, and Carlisle said afterward it was a cramp, not a pulled muscle or a strain as far as he knew. Brown added 16 points and 6 rebounds, while Slawson chipped in 12 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocks.
Haliburton remains week-to-week with a mild left hamstring strain, and the team’s next update was due in about two weeks as of Oct. 31.
He had played four games this season after missing all of 2025-26. McConnell is also out with a right hamstring strain, while Sheppard and Furphy continue their recoveries from surgery.
Memphis comes in at 6-1 after winning its first six games before Monday’s 135-134 home loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. Indiana is 2-6 and riding a five-game losing streak.
After the trip to Memphis, the Pacers return home to face the Denver Nuggets on Saturday at 5 p.m. ET.
In Other News...
Pacers Injury Situation May Finally Be Turning A Needed Corner
The injury report around the league keeps shifting, and for a Pacers team that has had to track availability as closely as any contender, there is at least some encouraging movement elsewhere. Kawhi Leonard has completed treatment for swelling in his left knee and is set to begin a return-to-play process, with the next update expected in a week, a sign that one of the more closely watched rehab situations is moving forward.
Around the NBA, several other familiar names remain in various stages of uncertainty, from questionable tags to minutes restrictions, including Ivica Zubac, Obi Toppin, Kelly Oubre Jr., Alex Caruso, Joel Embiid and Santi Aldama. For Indiana, the broader picture matters because every change in the leagues injury landscape can ripple into matchups, rotations and the nightly grind of staying healthy enough to keep pace. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Have One Roster Decision That Could Steady A Shorthanded Team
With injuries already forcing the Pacers to manage their depth carefully, the open 15th roster spot has become more than a bookkeeping detail. Indiana is eligible to add a veteran, and the front office is weighing a few familiar names as it looks for a player who can help steady the group without disrupting the balance of the current roster.
Among the possibilities are Jemison, Kevin Love and Gabe Vincent, each bringing a different kind of experience and potential fit. The Pacers do not have to rush into a move, and no signing has been reported, but the decision carries some real weight for a team trying to stay afloat while short-handed and keep its options open for the stretch ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Jarace Walker Is Giving The Pacers A Bigger Problem Than Injuries
Jarace Walkers rookie season has become one of the more frustrating side stories around the Pacers, especially with injuries opening the door for him to carve out a larger role. The 2023 first-round pick has had chances to show he can help steady the rotation, but instead his play has fallen short of what Indiana hoped for when it invested a first-round pick in him.
What has made the situation even more noticeable is the contrast with Jalen Slawson, whose effort and willingness to adapt have stood out in the same environment. For a Pacers team trying to stay afloat through injuries, Walkers uneven showing has raised a bigger question than just short-term production, with his place in Indiana looking less certain as his rookie contract moves closer to its end. [Read more 🡒]