Indiana Pacers vs Philadelphia 76ers: preview and player stats

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 will not return to Wednesday's game against the Wizards due to right knee soreness. He'll finish with two points (1-6 FG, 0-4 3Pt), one rebound and one assist across 22 minutes. Nesmith struggled mightily before exiting Wednesday's contest, and his next chance to suit up will come Friday against New York. If he's forced to miss time, Jarace Walker and Quenton Jackson would be candidates for increased burn.

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.

Injury/Illness - Right Foot Plantar Fascia Injury Management (2026-11-12, TOR@PHI). Prior reporting (2026-11-11): Embiid (foot) is listed as questionable for Thursday's game against Toronto, Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice.com reports. Embiid is at risk of missing his third game of the 2026-27 campaign. With Adem Bona (back) and Dominick Barlow (back) both sidelined, Philadelphia may turn to Jabari Walker to handle things at the five if Embiid doesn't suit up versus the Raptors.

Injury/Illness - Low Back/Sciatica Management (2026-11-12, TOR@PHI). Prior reporting (2026-11-11): James (back) is questionable for Thursday's game against the Raptors, Kyle Neubeck of AllPHLY.com reports. The 76ers are considering giving the future Hall of Famer the night of Thursday. Dean Wade and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope would soak up more playing time in the frontcourt if James ends up sitting out.

Injury/Illness - Low Back Stress Reaction (2026-11-12, TOR@PHI). Prior reporting (2026-11-04): Head coach Nick Nurse said Wednesday that Barlow (back) likely needs another 10-12 days before he's cleared to return to the court, Derek Bodner of AllPHLY.com reports. Nurse added that the team is "pretty positive" that Barlow's back is getting better, though he's still going to have to wait some more time before being cleared. The big man has yet to make his season debut due to a lumbar spine bone stress response, and he isn't expected to return until mid-November at the earliest.

Injury/Illness - Cervical Spine Sprain (2026-11-12, TOR@PHI). Prior reporting (2026-11-11): Bona (back) is out for Thursday's game against the Raptors, Kyle Neubeck of AllPHLY.com reports. Bona is missing a fourth straight contest and can be considered week-to-week for the time being. Jabari Walker is playing steady minutes off the bench as the No. 2 center in Bona's stead.

Injury/Illness - Right Achilles Tendon Rupture / Tear (2026-11-12, TOR@PHI). Prior reporting (2026-10-06): Hukporti has sustained a season-ending ruptured right Achilles tendon, per Shams Charania of ESPN. Hukporti went down with an Achilles injury in Monday's preseason opener against the Knicks, and an MRI has since revealed a rupture. He signed a one-year deal with the 76ers over the summer, so Hukporti will be an unrestricted free agent come season's end. With Hukporti's year already finished, Adem Bona (foot) should assume the backup center role behind Joel Embiid once healthy. Previously reported out for season.