NBA: Pacers field six-man roster in Memphis
Indiana faces the Grizzlies with only six available players after injuries and scratches decimated its lineup in its fifth straight defeat.
By Tessa Cooper ·
Indiana Pacers fans will watch their team field a skeleton crew Wednesday night at FedExForum. The Pacers have only six players available for the 8 p.m. ET game against the Memphis Grizzlies. This marks the first time in 22 years that the franchise has used so few players in a regular-season contest.
The thin roster follows a 108-104 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Monday. That game extended Indiana's losing streak to five. According to NBA.com, the team had 11 players out, representing roughly 93% of its payroll. All six available players, including the team's three two-way contracts, played at least 34 minutes and scored in double figures.
Rookie guard Braden Smith led the effort with 19 points and 10 assists in 42 minutes. His performance in a double-double highlights the strain on the remaining squad. Kelly Oubre Jr. sat out Monday with a bruised knee, while Larry Nance Jr. missed action due to illness. Both remain questionable for Wednesday.
Superstar Tyrese Haliburton is out with an injury, as are guards TJ McConnell, Ben Sheppard, and Johnny Furphy. Starting center Ivica Zubac, who has played in just three games and has not appeared since Oct. 25, is also listed as questionable. Pascal Siakam, the team's second-best player, rested Monday and is also questionable for Wednesday.
The Grizzlies enter the game with a 6-1 record, placing them near the top of the Western Conference. Memphis was the last team in the league to drop a game this season. That performance defied preseason expectations, as the team was projected to win only 28.5 games, one of the lowest totals in the NBA.
Much of the surprise stems from No. 3 overall pick Cameron Boozer. The 19-year-old Duke alum is averaging 17.4 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 5.6 assists. On Oct. 29, he recorded an 18-point, 12-rebound, 12-assist triple-double against Portland. That performance made him the youngest front-court player in league history to achieve such a feat.
Veteran guard Ty Jerome is also playing at a high level for Memphis. He is averaging 28.2 points per game while shooting 50.4% from the field. His recent form includes 40 points in a 135-134 overtime loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday. The Grizzlies are missing reserve guard Scotty Pippen Jr. and have backup center Quentin Post listed as questionable.
The Pacers have lost their last five games in Memphis, with their previous victory occurring on April 11, 2021. DraftKings lists the Grizzlies as 7.5-point favorites. Bettors are heavily favoring Memphis, with 99% of the handle on the home side as of publication.
