San Antonio are set to face a beat-up Pacers squad. The Indiana Pacers’ injury report is chock-full of questionable statuses, making it nearly impossible to know who will suit up.
The San Antonio Spurs are on a four-game winning streak and have won 20 of their last 22. Meanwhile, the Pacers have not won a game since the All-Star break, losing 15 straight games. The Spurs are chasing the 60-win mark, while Indiana are playing for lottery odds.
Spurs Injury Update and Potential Rotation Changes
San Antonio have also been short-handed for the last few games. Stephon Castle missed their last game against the Phoenix Suns and is listed as questionable. Even if he does suit up against the Pacers, the Spurs should have a chance to go deep in their rotation and pull out a win against an Indiana team incentivized to lose.
Spurs Injuries: Stephon Castle – Questionable (hip), Harrison Ingram – Out (G League), David Jones Garcia – Out (G League), Emanuel Miller – Out (G League)
Pacers Face Extensive Injury List
The Indiana Pacers’ injury report is extensive. Johnny Furphy is out with a knee injury, and Tyress Haliburton is out with an achilles injury. Quenton Jackson is questionable with a calf injury, and T.J. McConnell is questionable with a hamstring injury.
Andrew Nembhard is questionable with a calf injury, while Aaron Nesmith is questionable with an ankle injury. Peter Taelon, Micah Potter, Ben Sheppard and Jalen Slawson are all listed as questionable. Ethan Thompson and Ivica Zubac are out, while Obi Toppin is questionable with a foot injury.
Pacers Injuries: Johnny Furphy – Out (knee), Tyress Haliburton – Out (achilles), Quenton Jackson – Questionable (calf), T.J. McConnell – Questionable (hamstring), Andrew Nembhard – Questionable (calf), Aaron Nesmith – Questionable (ankle), Peter Taelon – Questionable (G League), Micah Potter – Questionable (tricep), Ben Sheppard – Questionable (ankle), Jalen Slawson – Questionable (G League), Ethan Thompson – Out (G League), Obi Toppin – Quesitonable (foot), Ivica Zubac – Out (rib)
Rookies Get a Chance
Dylan Harper and Carter Bryant struggled against the Suns. Saturday’s game gives them a great opportunity to bounce back. Mitch Johnson has given the rookies more playing time and opportunities against tanking teams near the end of the season. Harper and Bryant should have plenty of chances to build some confidence and warm up heading into the playoffs.
Key Matchup: Wembanyama vs Huff
Saturday will be a matchup between two of the best shot blockers in the NBA. Victor Wembanyama’s skills need no explanation, but Jay Huff has been great at protecting the rim for the Pacers. He’s averaging 1.9 blocks per game. Both teams will have to maneuver around shot blockers to get good looks in the paint. That’s particularly important for the Spurs, whose offense thrives on downhill attacking guards and paint scoring from Wembanyama.
Both of these teams are at their best when they are swinging the ball, setting screens, and finding the open man. The Pacers are 13th in the league in assists, the Spurs are 11th. Saturday should be a fun game for fans of ball movement and team basketball. San Antonio, in particular, benefits from its guards getting into the paint, either kicking it out to shooters or lobbing it to Wembanyama and Luke Kornet to finish over t
March brings the most unpredictable period of basketball of the year. Usually, that uncertainty is reserved for the college game, but on Saturday, it may carry over to the NBA in San Antonio, not because of the product on the court, but who may even play in the game.