Johnny Furphy Sustains Right Leg Injury Against Raptors

On Super Bowl Sunday, the Indiana Pacers traveled north of the border for an afternoon matchup against the Toronto Raptors.

Indiana carried a 48–46 lead into halftime after a solid opening two quarters. However, an abysmal defensive stretch in the third quarter, where the Pacers were outscored 44–26, shifted momentum. More concerning than the scoreboard, though, was the injury that occurred late in the period.

With 2:57 remaining in the third quarter, Johnny Furphy finished an emphatic dunk but landed awkwardly, immediately clutching his right leg near the knee. He collapsed to the floor and was unable to walk off under his own power.

Indiana called a timeout, and Furphy was assisted off the court by Obi Toppin and team athletic trainer Carl Eaton. While Furphy appeared able to bend both knees as he exited, he was transferred into a wheelchair upon reaching the bench and taken to the locker room.

The team’s official update stated that Furphy would not return due to right leg soreness.

After the game, head coach Rick Carlisle addressed the situation.

“We’re not sure on Furphy’s situation,” Carlisle said. “He’ll get testing tomorrow in New York and we’ll see where things are. We are hoping it’s not that bad, but we don’t know right now. Going to hope for the best.”
Carlisle postgame on Furphy injury

The 21-year-old forward out of Kansas is in his second NBA season and has started the Pacers’ last 20 games. During that stretch, Furphy has averaged 5.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game.

If the injury proves to be season-ending, the timing would be particularly unfortunate. With Indiana positioned near the bottom of the standings, this stretch has served as a developmental runway for Furphy. His confidence and comfort level had noticeably improved over the past month.

Television cameras captured Carlisle with his hand over his face following the injury. Tyrese Haliburton and Jarace Walker were also visibly shaken, reflecting the emotional weight of the moment.

Replay footage suggested Furphy may have twisted his knee upon landing. The visible pain raised immediate concern, though a definitive diagnosis will not be known until medical testing is completed.

The Pacers are expected to provide further updates in the coming days. Indiana’s next game is scheduled for Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m. ET against the New York Knicks.

You can follow me on X @AlexGoldenNBA and listen to my daily podcast, Setting The Pace, wherever you get your podcasts.