The Indiana Pacers began their Sunday matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves down seven guards, having lost one player (starting point guard Andrew Nembhard) in their season opener and two in their matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies (starting shooting guard Bennedict Mathurin and rookie two-way guard Taelon Peter).
They will not depart their third game of the season unscathed, appropriately enough.
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Backup Pacers power forward Obi Toppin has been ruled out for the rest of the game. The veteran big man has only missed three games across his past two seasons with Indiana, so the fact that he’s done for the night is major.
Per Marc Stein of The Stein Line, Toppin is dealing with a sore right leg.
No injury letup for the Pacers: Indiana says Obi Toppin (right leg soreness) will not return to tonight’s game against Minnesota.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) October 27, 2025
At the end of the third quarter, Minnesota is pacing the Pacers, 86-77. The Timberwolves aren’t without their own health issues, however, having lost All-NBA shooting guard Anthony Edwards just 3:08 into the action to a tight right hamstring.
Toppin finishes with nine points on 2-of-6 shooting from the field (1-of-3 from distance) and 4-of-4 shooting from the charity stripe, six rebounds and a steal in just 16:33. He was Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle’s first coach off the bench.
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With the Toppin injury, Indiana is down to just 10 healthy players — including two-way signings. The Pacers are already approaching Disabled Player Exception territory just four days into their 2025-26 regular season.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle revealed postgame that Toppin had suffered a hamstring injury, and will undergoing imaging on Monday, per Dopirak. Indiana is optimistic that the ailment isn’t severe.
The Pacers can ill afford to lose any more bodies. Indiana’s best player, two-time All-NBA superstar point guard Tyrese Haliburton, has already been ruled out for the season as he recovers from his Achilles tendon rupture. Beyond Nembhard, backup point guard T.J. McConnell is also out until at least December with a strained left hamstring. Guards Johnny Furphy (sore left foot) and Kam Jones (lower back stress reaction) also sat out Sunday’s matchup. Guard Quenton Jackson played through a strained right hamstring.
Still, Indiana ultimately dropped its third straight game, losing 114-110 after blowing their shot at a late rally.
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