The Washington Wizards and Indiana Pacers meet Sunday afternoon with both teams dealing with lengthy injury reports that could heavily influence rotations and game flow at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Tipoff is set for 3:00 PM ET as two rebuilding rosters look to snap recent losing trends.
Washington enters the matchup at 3–20 and riding a four-game losing streak, while Indiana sits at 6–19 and is coming off a road loss to Philadelphia. The teams already met once this season, with the Pacers earning a 119–86 home win on November 28.
The Wizards will be shorthanded across multiple positions, starting with Alex Sarr, who is out with a right adductor strain after averaging 19.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks. His absence removes Washington’s primary interior presence on both ends of the floor.
Bilal Coulibaly is also unavailable due to a right oblique strain, further thinning the wing rotation and perimeter defense. Corey Kispert remains sidelined with a fractured right thumb, costing Washington one of its most efficient floor spacers at 40.3 percent from three.
Veteran Khris Middleton is out with a right knee contusion, limiting Washington’s playmaking depth and half-court scoring options. Malaki Branham is also unavailable with a right thumb sprain, while Sharife Cooper and AJ Johnson remain on G League assignments.
With those absences, Washington is expected to lean heavily on CJ McCollum, Kyshawn George, and Marvin Bagley III for offensive production. McCollum leads the active roster at 19.0 points per game, while George has emerged as a versatile scorer and secondary facilitator.
Indiana’s injury situation is highlighted by the continued absence of Tyrese Haliburton, who is out with a torn right Achilles tendon. Losing the All-Star guard has reshaped the Pacers’ offense and placed added responsibility on Pascal Siakam and the remaining ball handlers.
Aaron Nesmith and Ben Sheppard are both out with knee and calf injuries, removing two perimeter defenders and rotation shooters. Obi Toppin is also sidelined with a right foot stress fracture, limiting Indiana’s frontcourt athleticism and transition scoring.
Andrew Nembhard and Tony Bradley are listed as questionable, with Nembhard’s left calf soreness being especially notable given his 17.9 points and 6.6 assists per game. If unavailable, Indiana would rely more heavily on T.J. McConnell and Jarace Walker to initiate offense.
Despite the injuries, Indiana remains dangerous at home behind Siakam, who is averaging 24.3 points and 7.0 rebounds.
