The Indiana Pacers faced the Atlanta Hawks with only six active players on the scoresheet, presenting a depleted roster that forced coach Rick Carlisle to manage a 48-minute game with a single substitute. Despite the severe shortage, Indiana kept the margin to four points before falling 108-104 on Monday night.
The full extent of the Indianapolis injury report leading up to the matchup included Tyrese Haliburton missing the contest due to a hamstring injury expected to sideline him for two weeks. The list also included Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard with a neck issue, Aaron Nesmith, Ivica Zubac with an ankle injury, T.J. McConnell with a hamstring problem, Obi Toppin with back pain, an illness for Larry Nance Jr., Kelly Oubre Jr. with a knee injury, Johnny Furphy with a knee issue, and Ben Sheppard sidelined for several months with a knee injury.
Six Soldiers on the Floor
With 75 percent of the roster unavailable, the rotation relied heavily on six players who logged nearly 40 minutes each. The group consisted of Jay Huff, Jarace Walker, Quenton Jackson, Kobe Brown, Jalen Slawson, and Braden Smith, with the final three operating on two-way contracts.
The makeshift lineup caught Atlanta off guard. Hawks coach Quin Snyder acknowledged the difficulty of the contest, stating that his team held a 10-12 point lead at various stages but failed to put the game away. Snyder pointed to Indiana’s interior size and missed layups as factors that kept the score close, while noting that his own roster dealt with absences including Jalen Johnson, Jock Landale, and Mouhamed Gueye.
Defensive Vulnerabilities in the Paint
While injuries hampered both sides, the game exposed persistent defensive flaws for Atlanta. The short-handed Pacers scored 54 points in the paint on 27-of-41 shooting, marking a 65 percent success rate close to the basket.
Snyder addressed the defensive performance directly, noting that protecting the rim remains the team’s primary issue. Statistical tracking places the Hawks 27th in the NBA for points allowed in the paint at 53.8 per game, alongside opponents shooting 60 percent on two-point attempts. Snyder indicated that overcoming such interior leaks will prove difficult if defensive resistance does not improve.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the offensive effort for the victors with 34 points, connecting on nine shots from beyond the arc. The perimeter scoring ultimately preserved the win for Atlanta, masking deficiencies that left the Hawks with questions despite the final outcome.
Pacers Recovered from Slow Start to Finish Strong
Reflecting on the unpredictable nature of early-season standings, the Indiana Pacers held a 3-4 record through November 4 during the 2024-25 campaign, trailing expectations after reaching the previous conference finals. That roster recovered from a 10-15 standing on December 8 to reach an even record by Christmas before finishing the regular season at 50-32.
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