Portland Trail Blazers vs Indiana Pacers: preview and player stats (Dec 17, 2026)

Injury/Illness - Left Hamstring Strain (2026-11-13, POR@SAC). Prior reporting (2026-11-08): Head coach Micah Nori said Morant met with a doctor in Los Angeles, who gave him a positive outlook on his recovery from the hamstring injury. While Nori declined to update Morant's timetable, he added Morant "may not be out for as long as we thought," Trail Blazers Insider Sean Highkin reports. Morant was initially given a four-week timetable after he suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain on Oct. 30. It sounds like he's making solid progress, though it would be surprising to see him beat that timetable given the tricky nature of hamstring injuries. Scoot Henderson will continue to start in his absence and there will be more minutes available for Jrue Holiday.

Injury/Illness - Right Meniscus Surgery (2026-11-13, POR@SAC). Prior reporting (2026-08-24): Sharpe suffered a torn meniscus in his knee and is expected to miss six months, per Shams Charania of ESPN. It's a tough blow to the Trail Blazers' depth on the wing ahead of training camp. Sharpe, who is now likely to be sidelined until after the All-Star break, had been ticketed for a reserve role behind Toumani Camara following an injury-plagued 2025-26 campaign, which saw average a career-high 20.8 points, 1.4 steals and 2.1 three-pointers per game over 50 regular-season appearances. The door is now open for Vit Krejci and Jeremy Sochan to compete for bench minutes during camp.

Injury/Illness - Left Ankle Fracture (2026-11-13, POR@SAC). Prior reporting (2026-11-11): Krejci underwent surgery on his fractured left ankle Wednesday and will be re-evaluated in eight weeks, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.com reports. Krejci suffered the ankle injury in last Wednesday's win over the Suns and is set to miss an extended period after undergoing surgery. With the 26-year-old and Ja Morant (hamstring) both on the shelf, Jrue Holiday and Sidy Cissoko should continue seeing increased minutes.

Injury/Illness - Right Bone Bruise (2026-11-13, POR@SAC). Prior reporting (2026-11-13): Youngblood (foot) is out for Friday's game against Sacramento. Youngblood is in line for a second straight absence due to a bone bruise in his right foot. His next opportunity to run the floor will arrive Monday in Minnesota.

Injury/Illness - Left Hamstring Strain (2026-11-13, NYK@IND). Prior reporting (2026-11-11): 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.

Injury/Illness - Right Knee Soreness (2026-11-13, NYK@IND). Prior reporting (2026-11-12): Nesmith (knee) is questionable for Friday's game against the Knicks. Nesmith picked up a knee injury during Wednesday's game against Washington, and he was ultimately unable to return after being diagnosed with knee soreness. He'll likely test his knee during shootaround and pregame to determine if he can take the court Friday.

Injury/Illness - Right ACL Repair / Surgery (2026-11-13, NYK@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.

Injury/Illness - Right Hamstring Strain (2026-11-13, NYK@IND). Prior reporting (2026-11-12): McConnell is probable for Friday's game against the Knicks due to a right hamstring strain. McConnell continues to land on the injury report with a hamstring issue, but it's a positive sign that he's been listed as probable after being handed a questionable tag ahead of Indiana's previous three games. He's in line to play in a fourth consecutive game after logging a season high in minutes (14) Wednesday night against Washington.

Injury/Illness - Left Meniscus Surgery (2026-11-13, NYK@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.