Chicago Bulls vs Indiana Pacers: preview and player stats (Jan 26, 2027)

Smith (hand) exited Friday's 125-117 win over the Hawks in overtime and did not return, finishing with 15 points (6-15 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 12 rebounds, three assists and three steals across 32 minutes. Smith secured his third double-double of the season while tying his season-high mark in steals. However, the big man came down on his left hand in overtime and exited to the locker room. His status will be worth monitoring ahead of Saturday's game at Minnesota.

Wilson (hand) is expected to miss four to six weeks, Shams Charania of ESPN reports. The rookie forward went down during Wednesday's loss to the Spurs, and he now needs surgery to repair a fractured right hand. More pressure will likely fall on Josh Giddey going forward, while the likes of Tre Jones and Isaac Okoro will have a chance for added streaming value.

Awaka (back) has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Hawks. Awaka will miss a second consecutive contest due to a back issue. His next chance to suit up will come Saturday at Minnesota.

Swain (back) is out for Friday's game against the Hawks. Swain will miss his second game in a row, with this one being the front end of a back-to-back set. He can be considered questionable for Saturday against the Timberwolves.

Head coach Rick Carlisle said Wednesday that Haliburton (hamstring) will miss at least 10 more days, Alex Golden of SI.com reports. Haliburton is still recovering from a left hamstring strain and will need more time to ramp up. Andrew Nembhard should continue seeing increased on-ball duties in Haliburton's stead, while Quenton Jackson and Braden Smith are also candidates for increased burn.

Nesmith exited to the locker room in the final seconds of Friday's 106-104 win over the Knicks due to an apparent hand/wrist injury, Tony East of Forbes.com reports. He posted 18 points (7-10 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 2-2 FT), seven rebounds and one assist in 33 minutes. Nesmith turned in an extremely efficient performance and finished as Indiana's second-leading scorer. He was also second on the club in rebounds. However, the swingman's status will be worth monitoring ahead of Sunday's game at Philadelphia after he exited Friday's win early.

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.

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.