Indiana

Pacers

Walker started over Jay Huff on Friday and rewarded the coaching staff for their decision to move him into the opening lineup. In the win, he was second on the Pacers in scoring, second in three-pointers, and tied a team-high in steals. Inefficiency from the free-throw line prevented him from notching a 30-point performance, but that’s one of the very few things to pick at from Friday’s outing. Walker has now put together back-to-back high-scoring performances. He’ll have an opportunity for a third on Monday against the Hawks.

Nembhard was very productive on Friday. He shot with good accuracy both inside and beyond the arc before finishing with nearly 30 points. But maybe even more impressive was his passing; the fourth-year guard was the only player on either team to reach double figures in assists. The offensive production led Nembhard to his fourth double-double in January, as the Pacers ended a three-game losing streak.

Siakam was one of three Pacers players to score 20 or more points on Friday. In addition to his scoring, the veteran forward made a difference as a playmaker, and also was decent overall on the glass. He didn’t record any stocks for the third straight game and fourth time over the past five outings, but even without the defensive stats, he had a solid final line against OKC. He’ll look for more production on Monday against the Hawks.

Indiana will shift Siakam to the center spot and move Walker into the starting unit, which will push Jay Huff to the bench. Walker had a slow start to the year but has had some solid performances lately. Huff should still play a significant bench role.

Jackson exited early on Wednesday and will remain out for this game. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said he could return to play against the Hawks on Monday, but for at least this game, Ben Sheppard should see a bump in minutes off the bench.

Jackson exited early from Wednesday’s game, which limited him to just six minutes. He has been playing larger reserve role recently, so if he remains out for this game, Ben Sheppard should see a bump in minutes.

A double-digit scorer in five of his last seven appearances, Walker’s 19 points were the most in a game for him since late-November. While the third-year forward isn’t a trustworthy fantasy option right now, he’s someone who could be more valuable during the “silly season.” Given where the Pacers are in the standings, young players like Walker shouldn’t lack for opportunities after the All-Star break.

While Siakam has scored at least 21 points in five straight appearances, Wednesday’s was his first with at least 30 since a January 8 win over the Hornets. While it has been tough sledding for the Pacers’ forward, he’s managed to provide top-100 per-game value in eight- and nine-cat formats. That doesn’t align with Siakam’s ADP (30), but things could be far worse for those who have him rostered.

Jackson played six minutes off the bench before exiting with a sore right ankle. While his absence won’t affect fantasy basketball, it does free up minutes for some of the Pacers’ other reserves.

According to Carlisle, Mathurin, who has not played since January 2, is progressing in his recovery from thumb and toe injuries. While the head coach also noted that he’s unsure when the wing will be able to play in games, Carlisle said on January 16 that he believed that Mathurin could play at some point during the Pacers’ current five-game road trip. Johnny Furphy should remain in the starting lineup until Mathurin can play without restriction.