#nba-injuries

#nba-injuries

MINNEAPOLIS -- The injury-ravaged Indiana Pacers ruled out leading scorer Bennedict Mathurin ahead of their game at Minnesota on Sunday night, leaving the defending Eastern Conference champions with seven unavailable players on the roster. Another key reserve, Obi Toppin, hurt his right hamstring in the third quarter during the 114-110 defeat by the Timberwolves. Coach Rick Carlisle said afterward Toppin would get an MRI exam for further evaluation but hoped the injury wasn't severe.

The Indiana Pacers are signing guard Mac McClung to a multiyear contract, Greg Lawrence of Wasserman told ESPN on Monday. The deal marks the first standard NBA contract for McClung after the dunk contest's first three-peat champion spent time in camps and on two-way deals since 2021. McClung, who most recently was with the Orlando Magic, has appeared in six games in the NBA.

The league's best teams often teeter on a knife's edge, thriving thanks to continuity but in a constant state of fragility, which explains the current state of the weakened Eastern Conference. The two favorites, who meet in a made-for-television opener Wednesday in New York, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Knicks (7 p.m. ET on ESPN), are in this place because of the consistency of their rosters and misfortune of fellow contenders.

Unfortunately for the Houston Rockets and their passionate fans, they're probably going to be without former Raptors standout and current veteran point guard Fred VanVleet for the whole 2025-26 season. He tore his ACL during offseason training, which is a tough blow considering the season start is just around the corner. Now, I think in the grand scheme of sports injuries, when you hear "sprained" or "bruised," maybe there's a little more of a silver lining.

Dereck Lively II has successfully undergone surgery to address bone spurs in his right foot, with expectations to return in time for training camp in September.