Nothing seems to be breaking right for last season’s finalists. Already battling multiple injuries, the Indiana Pacers saw Aaron Nesmith added to the list after he exited in less than three minutes in the third quarter against the Suns after injuring his left knee. The setback hurts the Pacers, but head coach Rick Carlisle’s post-game update offered a measure of hope, even as the team stays cautious.

Carlisle, sitting in front of reporters during the post-game conference, immediately started by saying, “We’re hoping that Aaron’s situation is not very serious. At this point, it looks like we may have dodged a bullet. He may have dodged a bullet in terms of something that is very serious, but he’ll miss some time.”

Even though there’s optimism in the comment, there’s a sense of uncertainty among the Pacers, as they were already without seven players who were already sidelined due to injury or illness (as of Thursday). Nesmith himself looked extremely frustrated with the injury, slamming his fist on the court before being helped off the court, with Tyrese Haliburton following behind him. An MRI is likely to follow for Nesmith as the Pacers travel back to Indianapolis after tonight. Also, his absence was felt immediately.

The Pacers, who had been competitive in the third quarter, looked completely deflated after his exit, falling to a similarly shorthanded Suns squad, which lost sharpshooter Grayson Allen earlier in the game. The Pacers star logged 20 minutes of playtime, recording 10 points, three rebounds, an assist, and a steal, along with solid perimeter defense on Devin Booker, who missed half of his shots in the first half.

Carlisle also spoke on Nesmith’s loss and its effect on the team, saying, “He’s a top player on this team, and so, it hurt us out there tonight… But we got some things to figure out and we’ll figure them out… NBA games are difficult. They’re physical. Everybody’s amped up the physicality and the pressure, and so we’re going to need to do the same.”

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Aaron Nesmith’s loss is regrettable, considering that Andrew Nembhard and TJ McConnell had just returned from their own injuries. Nembhard had previously missed multiple weeks after getting injured in the season opener, and McConnell had hurt his hamstring in the preseason. Apart from them, much of Indiana’s roster remains sidelined.

Bennedict Mathurin continues to sit out with a foot injury sustained early in the season, along with Obi Toppin, who recently underwent foot surgery, on top of various injuries to Johnny Furphy, Quenton Jackson, Taelon Peter, and Ben Sheppard. Add to this Haliburton missing the entire season with an Achilles tendon tear and the franchise matching their worst start at 1-11, and things are already looking grim for a Pacers squad hoping to stay somewhat competitive.

Indiana Pacers’ injury woes compound in Phoenix Suns’ rout

The Indiana Pacers’ injury crisis worsened tonight as the Phoenix Suns dominated them, winning the game 133-98 to extend their winning streak to five games. Devin Booker exploded for 33 points, scoring 16 points in the third quarter, and Dillon Brooks gave the Suns an early lift, scoring 24 points in the first half. Oso Ighodaro and Grayson Allen also had solid contributions, helping the Suns build a 70-52 halftime lead.

Indiana’s struggles were evident on both ends of the floor tonight. The Pacers shot just 36.4% from the field, failing to keep pace with Phoenix, which hit a solid 57.6% while knocking down 13 threes. The Suns went on multiple extended scoring runs, including a 38-8 stretch in the third and fourth quarters, leading by as much as 46 points, highlighting an inability to respond from Indiana.

The game also featured various chippy moments. Brooks and T.J. McConnell were dealt double technicals for excessive talking in the second quarter. Pascal Siakam and Royce O’Neale got another set of double technicals after they got into an argument following O’Neale fouling Siakam hard on a drive to the basket. Things didn’t stop there; with 2:44 left in the first, Tony Bradley grabbed Brooks around the neck as they battled for possession, and was immediately assessed a technical foul. Indiana has now lost six in a row and needs to find consistency in their depth to stay afloat as it faces the Toronto Raptors on Saturday.