Indiana Pacersinjury report and the Hawks injuries

Injury/Illness - Right Hamstring Strain (2026-11-01, BKN@IND). Prior reporting (2026-11-01): Indiana recalled McConnell (hamstring) from the G League's Noblesville Boom on Saturday. McConnell has been unavailable throughout the first few games of the campaign due to his issue but could be close to making a comeback for the parent team following a short stint with Noblesville. The experienced guard was quite active last season despite coming off the second unit in most of his outings, and a similar situation may be expected this campaign as soon as he's cleared to see action.

Expected back 2 Nov

Injury/Illness - Right ACL Repair / Surgery (2026-11-01, BKN@IND). Prior reporting (2026-10-30): Furphy (knee) is practicing with the G League's Noblesville Boom, per Alex Golden of SI.com. The Pacers have been pretty quiet regarding Furphy's ACL recovery since the offseason, but it's encouraging to hear some form of progress as the forward begins to ramp up his activity. Although Furphy still lacks a firm timetable for a return and is likely to be brought back slowly, it appears a season debut before the start of the new calendar year is in the cards.

Expected back 2 Jan

Injury/Illness - Left Meniscus Surgery (2026-11-01, BKN@IND). Prior reporting (2026-10-28): Head coach Rick Carlise confirmed Sheppard will miss "months" after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, Tony East of Forbes.com reports. Sheppard required a full repair and is without a definitive timetable for a return to action. With Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring) expected to miss at least two weeks, Quenton Jackson figures to see a significant uptick in playing time. Two-way player Braden Smith could also see increased action with the parent club.

Expected back 2 Jan

Injury/Illness - Left Ankle Sprain (2026-11-01, BKN@IND). Prior reporting (2026-10-31): Zubac (ankle) will remain on the inactive list for Sunday's game against the Nets. This will be Zubac's fourth consecutive game on the sidelines, which should result in another start for Jay Huff and extended minutes for Larry Nance. Zubac's next chance to play will come Monday against the Hawks.

Expected back 2 Nov

Injury/Illness - Left Hamstring Strain (2026-11-01, BKN@IND). Prior reporting (2026-10-28): Haliburton (hamstring) will miss at least the next two weeks of action, Shams Charania of ESPN reports. Given the tricky nature of hamstring injuries, the Pacers will likely take their time bringing Haliburton back to the court, so don't be surprised if his absence extends beyond this two-week window. Andrew Nembhard (neck) and Pascal Siakam should each get a usage bump as they take over more of the playmaking duties sans Haliburton and there will be more minutes available for Quenton Jackson.

Expected back 13 Nov

Injury/Illness - Low Back Soreness (2026-11-01, BKN@IND). Prior reporting (2026-11-01): Toppin (back) is out for Sunday's game against the Nets, Alex Golden of SI.com reports. After missing Friday's 145-125 loss to the Heat, Toppin will miss his second straight contest due to lower back soreness. Sunday's matchup with Brooklyn is the first of a back-to-back set for Indiana, so the hope is that Toppin will be able to suit up on Monday. In his absence, Jarace Walker and Jalen Slawson should continue earning more minutes off the bench.

Expected back 2 Nov

Veesaar was diagnosed with a torn right ACL and is expected to miss the 2026-27 season, the Hawks announced Monday. Veesaar suffered the injury during a workout on Sept. 15, and an MRI confirmed the diagnosis. The No. 52 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Veesaar was expected to spend a lot of time with Atlanta's G League affiliate this season. Reported out for season.

Expected back 1 Jul

Gueye underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a fractured left foot that he suffered during a workout last week, Brad Rowland of the Locked On Podcast Network reports. Gueye will be re-evaluated by medical staff in 3-to-4 months, which means he'll miss all of training camp and preseason and likely the start of the 2026-27 regular season. It's a brutal blow for the fourth-year big man, given that the Hawks used the No. 23 overall pick of the 2026 NBA Draft to select St. John's product Zuby Ejiofor. Gueye's absence means Ejiofor will have more opportunities in the preseason, and the rookie could establish a key role off the bench behind Onyeka Okongwu and projected backup center Jock Landale (ankle).

Expected back 20 Nov

Landale (hip) won't return to Saturday's game against the Pelicans. Landale only logged one minute Saturday before exiting the contest. His next opportunity to get back on the floor will come Monday versus Indiana. In the meantime, Asa Newell should see more playing time behind Onyeka Okongwu.

Expected back 2 Nov

Johnson (ankle) did not return to Saturday's 121-99 loss to the Pelicans. He finished with 13 points (5-11 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 2-2 FT), seven rebounds, four assists and one block over 28 minutes. Johnson was on the court for the final seconds of the third quarter but didn't see the floor for the entire fourth. The Hawks were facing a large deficit, so the decision to keep him sidelined for the final quarter may have been a precautionary measure. Nevertheless, Johnson's injury status is worth monitoring heading into the Hawks' next game, which takes place Monday against the Pacers. If he were to miss time, then Aaron Wiggins and Luguentz Dort would likely be the top candidates to enter Atlanta's starting lineup.

Expected back 2 Nov