Pacers Lose Another Key Starter Indefinitely During Blowout Loss vs Suns

May 4, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) celebrates with forward Aaron Nesmith (23) during the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game one of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers lost yet another key player mid-game on Thursday night.

In what's quickly becoming a lost season for the 1-11 Pacers, the very banged-up club was obliterated by the Phoenix Suns in the Mortgage Matchup Center, 133-98.

Four-time All-Star guard Devin Booker helped power Phoenix to its fifth consecutive victory, pouring in 33 points on 12-of-22 shooting from the field and 6-of-6 shooting from the charity stripe, while also dishing out seven dimes and grabbing five rebounds. All-Defensive Team wing Dillon Brooks chipped in 32 points on 12-of-18 shooting from the floor and 5-of-5 shooting from the foul line.

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The Pacers, meanwhile, dropped their sixth straight contest, without the use of 10-day signing Cody Martin (brought on to deal with their other mounting injuries), two-time All-NBA Third Team point guard Tyrese Haliburton, power forward Obi Toppin, guard Quenton Jackson, shooting guard Johnny Furphy, rookie guard Kam Jones, and starting shooting guard Bennedict Mathurin.

But Indiana lost an eighth player during the contest, when starting swingman Aaron Nesmith (jumping at the two-guard spot during this game, but normally the club's starting small forward when Mathurin is healthy) went down with 9:25 remaining in the third quarter. He suffered a troubling knee injury after misstepping as he helped double-team Booker. Nesmith required help to get off the floor and into Indiana's locker room.

Aaron Nesmith was helped to locker room 🙏

(h/t @ridiculouscage)pic.twitter.com/zA9ySThkMS

— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) November 14, 2025

Without Nesmith, Phoenix ran roughshod over Indiana. The Suns got out to a 20-0 run to open the fourth frame, improving their advantage to a game-most 46 points.

Just How Bad Is Aaron Nesmith's Knee Injury?

After the game, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle told reporters that he expected Nesmith to sit out for a bit — but that he had avoided a possible worst-case injury scenario, according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star.

"Hoping that Aaron's situation is not very serious," Carlisle said. "At this point, it looks like we may have dodged a bullet in terms of something that isv ery serious. But he will miss some time."

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Per Dopirak, the Nesmith ailment represents the seventh regular season mid-game ailment suffered by an Indiana player across the team's first 12 contests. If we add in the preseason, that tally climbs to 12 injuries suffered during a game through a combined 16 preseason and regular season bouts.

Was wondering why this felt low, but that's because if you count preseason you also have McConnell and Delon Wright in Oct. 7 Minnesota, Furphy and Jackson in I believe Oct. 11 OKC and Taelon Peter in one of those. https://t.co/DeAjD3NqAp

— Dustin Dopirak (@DustinDopirak) November 14, 2025

In 20:03 of action against Phoenix, Nesmith wrapped up the contest with 10 points on 3-of-9 shooting from the floor (1-of-3 from distance) and 3-of-3 shooting from the free throw line, three boards, one assist and a steal.

For more news and notes on the Indiana Pacers, visit Indiana Pacers on SI.