The Indiana Pacers are facing an injury crisis of historic proportions after Saturday’s blowout loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, with nearly their entire backcourt sidelined just two games into the new season.
According to the team, six guards were already unavailable heading into the game – Tyrese Haliburton (torn Achilles), T.J. McConnell (left hamstring strain), Kam Jones (lower back stress reaction), Quenton Jackson (right hamstring strain), Johnny Furphy (left foot soreness), and Andrew Nembhard (left shoulder strain).
Things went from bad to worse during the contest when rookie Taelon Peter (sore right groin) and Bennedict Mathurin (sore right foot) were both forced to exit after sustaining new injuries. The Pacers later confirmed both absences on social media.
That leaves Indiana with just two healthy guards: Ben Sheppard and two-way player RayJ Dennis.
Even Sheppard wasn’t spared from the team’s streak of bad luck – Tony East of Circle City Spin reported that the second-year guard chipped a tooth during the game.
It’s a stunning turn of events for the reigning Eastern Conference champions, who are now dangerously thin at the guard position.
The situation has become so dire that the Pacers could soon qualify for at least one hardship exception, allowing them to temporarily add players to the roster if multiple injuries are deemed long-term.
The organization is expected to reassess the severity of several of these injuries in the coming days, but for now, head coach Rick Carlisle faces the daunting task of keeping the Pacers competitive with a backcourt that has been almost completely wiped out by injury.
Pacers Notes: Injuries, Mathurin, Peter, Nembhard, Carlisle https://t.co/4VLaroz19u pic.twitter.com/VUjLWMMMiz
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) October 26, 2025
