Indiana

Pacers

Out since late October with a stress fracture in his right foot, Toppin could make his return to the lineup on Thursday. Given the amount of time that he’s missed and where the Pacers are in the standings, fantasy managers should not expect too much from Toppin once he’s cleared.

Siakam appears poised to miss a second consecutive game with a sprained left wrist. Ben Sheppard returned to the starting lineup for Tuesday’s loss to the 76ers and should retain that role if Siakam can’t return on Thursday.

Lower back injury management has Nembhard back on the Pacers’ injury report. If he’s unable to play on Thursday, T.J. McConnell would be the most likely replacement in the starting lineup. However, McConnell’s playing time has been limited recently as he continues to nurse a hamstring injury. Kam Jones, who recently moved into the starting lineup, will play plenty regardless of what happens with Nembhard.

While he did not shoot the ball well, missing all five of his three-point attempts, Walker found other ways to contribute on Tuesday. He’s reached double digits in rebounds in three of his last four appearances, and there was also solid value in the assist category. Regardless of what happens with Pascal Siakam (wrist), who did not play on Tuesday, Walker appears locked into the starting lineup for the rest of the season. Even with the efficiency concerns, he should be rostered in 14-team leagues, at a minimum.

Potter had the most productive offensive night of his NBA career on Tuesday, only missing two shots from the field and recording his first 20-point game. While the rebounding production was limited, he recorded a complete stat line in 23 minutes. Jay Huff (four points, four rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block in 25 minutes) remains the starter, but the Pacers have made sure to get Potter the minutes needed to be impactful. He isn’t a must-roster player in deep leagues, but Potter is worth a look for those seeking frontcourt depth.

Indiana’s point guard rotation was intact on Tuesday, but Nembhard still logged 28 minutes. That’s encouraging for fantasy managers counting on the Pacers’ guard for consistent value as the playoff weeks approach in Yahoo! default leagues. Fellow starter Kam Jones (13 points, six rebounds, three assists, one steal and three three-pointers) played 29 minutes, and his opportunities should remain consistent the rest of the way, if not increase. Nembhard is fine for now, but his playing time is something that fantasy managers should continue to watch.

While Jones and Nembhard are good to go after initially being probable for Tuesday’s game, Pascal Siakam (wrist) is out. As a result, Sheppard moves back into the starting lineup, with Jarace Walker shifting to the four.

McConnell is back after sitting out Sunday’s loss to the Mavericks. His return may lead to Quenton Jackson being made inactive, as he’s still on a two-way contract. Also, Andrew Nembhard is available and Kam Jones is probable, meaning that McConnell may not get the run needed to affect fantasy basketball.

Siakam will be sidelined after playing on Sunday, which was his return from a three-game absence. He pushed Ben Sheppard to the bench on Sunday, so Sheppard should return to the starting unit with Siakam sidelined.

Nembhard is set to play after being listed as questionable on the initial injury report. He logged 30 minutes in Sunday’s loss to the Mavericks and should take on a similar workload against the 76ers.