Depleted Pacers Nearly Upset Hawks Behind Braden Smith's Historic Debut
Playing with only six available players due to a wave of injuries and rest, the Indiana Pacers fell just short in a 108-104 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night.
The Indiana Pacers put up a valiant fight on Monday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, nearly pulling off a stunning upset against the Atlanta Hawks despite dressing only six healthy players. The undermanned Pacers ultimately suffered a 108-104 defeat, their fifth consecutive loss, as Atlanta pulled away in the final seconds.
With 11 players ruled out due to injuries, illness, and rest on the second night of a back-to-back, Indiana's active roster carried a combined salary of roughly $15 million, compared to the $193 million in sidelined talent. The lengthy injury report featured stars like Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, and Ivica Zubac, forcing head coach Rick Carlisle to deploy a heavily modified lineup.
Among the unexpected beneficiaries of the shorthanded roster was former Purdue standout Braden Smith. Prior to Monday, Smith had logged a mere 18 total minutes and scored just one point in his NBA career. Finding out he would make his first career start at point guard only hours before tipoff, the rookie guard capitalized on the opportunity by delivering a stellar performance.
Smith orchestrated the offense with poise, recording a double-double with 19 points and 10 assists in 42 minutes of action. He shot 8-of-13 from the field, including two three-pointers, while adding four rebounds and three steals. His playmaking helped the Pacers dominate the paint, outscoring Atlanta 54-26 in that category.
Jay Huff also stepped up significantly to anchor the frontcourt for Indiana, bouncing back from a scoreless outing against the Brooklyn Nets. Huff led the Pacers with 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting, grabbing eight rebounds and blocking two shots. Quenton Jackson added 20 points, and all six active Pacers players finished the night scoring in double figures.
Despite the heavy disadvantage, Indiana kept the game tight throughout. A steal and subsequent layup by Jackson narrowed the deficit to 106-104 with 1:36 remaining on the clock. However, Jackson missed a crucial three-pointer with under a minute left, and Atlanta's Onyeka Okongwu secured the victory by converting a jumper with just 10.2 seconds remaining.
The Hawks relied heavily on stellar outside shooting to counter Indiana's interior dominance. Atlanta knocked down 23 three-pointers on 51 attempts. Nickeil Alexander-Walker led all scorers with 34 points, sinking nine shots from beyond the arc for the visitors.
With the win, the Hawks improved their record to 4-4, while the Pacers dropped to 2-6. Indiana will look to regroup when they travel to face the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, pending updates on their extensive injury report.