Pacers Injury Report: Will Pascal Siakam Make His Debut Tonight vs the Kings?

In February 2022, the Sacramento Kings made a blockbuster deal with the Indiana Pacers—Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield came to Indiana in exchange for Domantas Sabonis. Now, almost two years later, led by Haliburton’s exceptional performances, the Pacers have become one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. A team that made another blockbuster trade on Wednesday, acquiring Pascal Siakam from the Toronto Raptors. As the Pacers gear up to take on the Kings at the Golden 1 Center, though, they’ll be without their recent-most addition.

After Pacers fans had very limited expectations coming into the 2023-24 NBA season, their team has been one of the surprise packages so far. The three-team trade to get Pascal Siakam was a move that further clarified their intentions to compete for the title.  However, Siakam still has to take a physical and is not expected to be available for tonight’s game against the Sacramento Kings. He’ll stay out of the lineup until his transaction is completely processed. 

Speaking about the trade, as the Pacers acquired the two-time All-Star, the Raptors received Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora, and control of three first-round draft picks from Indiana, and Kira Lewis Jr. from the Pelicans in return for cash considerations. The acquisition of Siakam instantly makes the Pacers one of the favorites for a guaranteed playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. But as they take on the Kings, there’s no doubt they have their work cut out for them.

Apart from Siakam, the Pacers could also miss several key players through injuries. The Pacers have listed Aaron Nesmith (shin), Obi Toppin (calf), and Bennedict Mathurin (ankle) as questionable for tonight’s game. Tyrese Haliburton was expected to remain sidelined for at least two weeks due to a Grade 1 hamstring strain he suffered against the Celtics on January 8. However, the Pacers have upgraded Haliburton to questionable for tonight’s game. 

This comes as great news to the Pacers, who have witnessed a drop-off in performances due to injuries. On the contrary, the Kings do not have any injured players for tonight’s game. In light of this, how could the two teams line up against each other?

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Predicted Lineups: Kings vs Pacers

The game between the Kings and the Pacers promises to be an enthralling one. The Kings go into it as favorites because of Indiana’s injury issues. However, their recent performances haven’t been up to the mark, as they have lost three consecutive games. And they would no doubt be aiming to end their dismal run against the Pacers. The Kings could start the game with De’Aaron Fox, Kevin Huerter, Keegan Murray, Harrison Barnes, and Domantas Sabonis.

The Pacers are having a very promising season so far. They made it all the way to the finals of the In-Season tournament, and they are also firmly in the race for a guaranteed playoff spot. Furthermore, the addition of Pascal Siakam will bolster their title hopes even more. However, for now, the Pacers must focus on ending their two-game losing streak. They could begin the match with Andrew Nembhard, Bennedict Mathurin, Buddy Hield, Jalen Smith, and Myles Turner. Who do you think would win this exciting encounter? Let us know in the comments below!

Read More: “It Hurts..”: Scottie Barnes on “Brother” Pascal Siakam after Latest Pacers-Raptors Trade