The Indiana Pacers will have the opportunity to guarantee top-three lottery chances on Thursday against the Brooklyn Nets. They have a large injury list going into their tank battle. Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, T. J. McConnell, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Ivica Zubac, and Johnny Furphy were all unable to participate. Meanwhile, Jarace Walker, Ben Sheppard, and Kobe Brown are doubtful.
If Walker, Sheppard, and Brown are ruled out, Indiana will have eight players available on Thursday: Quenton Jackson, Kam Jones, Obi Toppin, Ethan Thompson, Jay Huff, Micah Potter, Jalen Slawson, and Taelon Peter.
With three games remaining, Indiana has three victories less than the Utah Jazz and Sacramento Kings, who are now tied for fourth place. A defeat in any of its remaining three games will ensure a bottom-three finish.
The Pacers traded their 2026 first-round selection, top-four protected, to the Los Angeles Clippers for Zubac before the deadline. The top three lottery slots each have a 52. 1% probability of being selected in the top four.
Pacers prepare for fierce tank fight against Nets, with a top-three lottery selection at stake.
On Thursday, the Pacers will face a Nets team that is desperate for a defeat. Brooklyn had a three-win advantage for a bottom-three result with five games remaining. However, following victories over the Washington Wizards and Milwaukee Bucks in their previous two games, the rebuilt club has one fewer victory than the Kings and Jazz.
The Nets announced Nolan Traore (rest), Nic Claxton (right fifth finger sprain), Noah Clowney (left ankle injury management), Josh Minott (left ankle soreness), Terance Mann (right patella tendinosis), and Ziaire Williams (left foot tenosynovitis/bursitis) as out for Thursday, joining Michael Porter Jr. , Egor Demin, Day’Ron Sharpe, and Danny Wolf, who are all out for the season.
Brooklyn will have nine players available against Indiana: Ben Saraf, Malachi Smith, Drake Powell, E. J. Liddell, Trevon Scott, Tyson Etienne, Jalen Wilson, Ochai Agbaji, and Chaney Johnson.
According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Pacers are four-point favorites heading into the game.
Indiana will play the Philadelphia 76ers in a back-to-back on Friday before finishing their season against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday. Before concluding their season on Sunday against the Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn will play the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday.
