Indiana Pacers vs Cleveland Cavaliers: preview and player stats (Dec 1, 2026)

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.

Mobley (toe) is out for Friday's game against the Heat. The star big man took a hard fall late in Wednesday's win over the Knicks, and he's missing his first contest of the season Friday with a sprained toe. With Mobley sidelined, Jaylon Tyson, Meleek Thomas and Mario Hezonja are each viable streaming options.

Merrill (elbow) is listed as out for Wednesday's game against the Knicks. Merrill has battled a lingering elbow issue since the preseason. He will now miss a third consecutive contest, with his next opportunity to suit up coming Friday in Miami. While Merrill is sidelined, Craig Porter, Meleek Thomas and Tyrese Proctor should see more minutes.

Tomlin is set to miss several weeks with a lower back stress reaction, Chris Fedor of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. This is a tough blow for the forward and there's no guarantee he's cleared right away when he's re-evaluated in three-to-four weeks. Tomlin wasn't projected to crack the rotation ahead of Opening Night and was penciled in to be an emergency depth option.