The Indiana Pacers’ season continues to spiral, and Sunday’s 122-104 loss to the Toronto Raptors only deepened the hole. That makes four straight defeats for Indiana, but the scoreboard wasn’t the only concern coming out of Scotiabank Arena - the sight of Johnny Furphy being wheeled off the floor was a gut punch for a team already reeling.
Furphy, the 21-year-old forward in his second NBA season, went down in the third quarter after throwing down a dunk. It was a clean finish, but the landing was anything but.
Johnny Furphy was able to walk to the bench with help, but then was taken back to the locker room in a wheelchair. pic.twitter.com/uGzeQY0cCA
— Alex Golden (@AlexGoldenNBA) February 8, 2026
As soon as he hit the floor, Furphy clutched his right knee and was clearly in pain. Moments later, he was taken to the locker room in a wheelchair - a tough scene for a Pacers squad that can hardly afford another hit to its already depleted roster.
Before exiting, Furphy had chipped in with four points on 2-of-3 shooting, along with three assists and two rebounds in 15 minutes of action. It wasn’t a flashy stat line, but it was the kind of steady, energetic play Indiana has come to appreciate from the former Kansas standout. His ability to move without the ball and find space in the offense has been a bright spot in an otherwise difficult campaign.
And make no mistake, this season has been a grind for Indiana. Tyrese Haliburton, the engine of the Pacers’ offense and one of the league’s premier playmakers, is out for the entire 2025-26 season.
Without him, Indiana has struggled to find rhythm or consistency. Losing Furphy, even temporarily, only adds to the challenge.
Obi Toppin is also on the shelf, and the team’s recent trade deadline pickups - center Ivica Zubac and forward Kobe Brown - haven’t yet joined the lineup. That’s left Indiana short-handed and scrambling for answers on both ends of the floor.
Now sitting at 13-40, the Pacers are searching for something - anything - to stop the bleeding. They’ll get their next shot on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, where they’ll face a tough New York Knicks squad. A win on the road would be a much-needed morale boost, but with injuries piling up and chemistry still a work in progress, the road ahead doesn’t get any easier.
For a team that came into the season with playoff aspirations, the focus now might be shifting toward development, health, and finding out which pieces can carry forward into the future. Furphy’s status will be closely watched - not just for what it means in the short term, but because he’s one of the few young players on this roster showing promise in a challenging year.