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Indiana entered the contest with 11 players unavailable, including key contributors such as Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, and Andrew Nembhard. The sidelined group represented a combined salary of approximately $193 million, leaving a squad of players earning roughly $15 million to carry the load on the second night of a back-to-back schedule. Head coach Rick Carlisle attributed the mass absences to injury management.
A gritty effort despite the odds
Despite the severe lack of depth, the Pacers remained competitive throughout the contest. The starting unit featured Jay Huff, Quenton Jackson, Jarace Walker, and two-way players Braden Smith and Jalen Slawson, with Kobe Brown serving as the team's only available substitute. While Indiana trailed for the majority of the first three quarters, they never allowed the deficit to exceed 15 points.
The game remained in the balance during the final minutes. Quenton Jackson provided a late spark, stealing the ball from
Atlanta avoids upset as Indiana skid continues
The loss extends Indiana's current losing streak to five games. For the Hawks, the victory was essential to avoid an upset against a severely undermanned opponent. Nickeil Alexander-Walker paced the Atlanta offense with a game-high 34 points, providing the necessary scoring cushion to withstand the Pacers' late-game surges.
Indiana’s performance was highlighted by significant individual workloads, with Jarace Walker logging a team-high 44 minutes. Even Quenton Jackson, who played the fewest minutes of the six, still saw 34 minutes of action. The Pacers had previously narrowed the deficit to three points following a three-point play by Jackson midway through the fourth quarter, and later mounted a 9-0 run that brought them within two points with 2:24 left on the clock, but they ultimately could not complete the comeback.