The Indiana Pacers not only lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in their first game of the 2025-26 NBA campaign last night, but they also lost one of their key players in the process.
With less than eight minutes left in the first half, Andrew Nembhard left the game due to a sore left shoulder. The Canadian guard finished the evening with four points and four assists in 17 minutes of action.
“We’ll find out more tomorrow. He’s going to get some tests done. But this is going to potentially present some big challenges,” Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said on Nembhard’s injury via Scott Agness.
Despite Nembhard’s absence, the Indiana Pacers still managed to put up a valiant stand against the defending champions, sending the game into overtime before they eventually lost 141-135. Bennedict Mathurin and Pascal Siakam combined for 68 points in the home defeat.
Indiana Pacers News: Rick Carlisle avoids fine after controversial loss
The Indiana Pacers’ defeat against the Oklahoma City Thunder was not without controversy. Late in the game, Obi Toppin shot a layup to make it 139-133 with 22.5 seconds left, and he stole an inbounds pass from Chet Holmgren.
However, instead of gaining possession for another chance to score, the referees ruled that the Oklahoma City Thunder had called for a timeout, angering the fans. Instead of questioning the call in the postgame presser, Indiana Pacers head coach decided to take the high road.
“I’m not talking about the refs. If I talk about the refs, I’ll be fined an exorbitant amount of money,” Carlisle said via Tony East on X (formerly known as Twitter).
