The Indiana Pacers suffered a 108-104 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, playing with just six available players due to injuries and rest. This marked the earliest into a season a team has used that few players in nearly 80 years, the last occurrence being in 1948 when the Lakers used five players. Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring), Pascal Siakam (rest), and eight others were sidelined.
Kelly Oubre Jr. was a late scratch. Indiana started Jay Huff, Quenton Jackson, Jarace Walker, and two-way players Braden Smith and Jalen Slawson. Jarace Walker led with 44 minutes.
Onyeka Okongwu's late jumper sealed the Hawks' victory. Despite the thin roster, Rick Carlisle's group played hard, with Quenton Jackson stealing the ball and converting a layup to cut the lead to two with 1:36 remaining. However, Jackson missed a potential go-ahead 3-pointer with 43.1 seconds left.
Alexander-Walker led the Hawks with 34 points. The Pacers fell to 2-6, marking their fifth straight loss. Carlisle drew comparisons to the 2004 "Malice at the Palace" game, noting the historical significance of the night.
Source: ESPN NBA · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing