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How Long Will Indiana Pacers Be Without Obi Toppin?
© Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Thursday night featured a hard-fought 120-114 loss for the Indiana Pacers against the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder. A familiar foe resurfaced for the Pacers that goes beyond the win-loss column.

Indiana has dealt with more than its fair share of injuries throughout the early parts of the 2024-25 NBA season. This matchup featured yet another one of those instances.

Pacers forward Obi Toppin played only seven minutes in this game, recording five points and three rebounds, before leaving the game with an ankle injury. The fifth-year pro has been a productive member of the bench unit for the Pacers this season, averaging 10.5 points and 4.1 rebounds.

"Obi tried to go back out," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle told reporters at the post-game press conference. "It didn't seem like it was that bad initially, and then he felt it when he went back out. So I certainly assume he'll miss tomorrow, and we'll see. He's been a guy that's bounced back quickly."

Jarace Walker was able to provide some strong contributions in the absence of Toppin, posting 12 points, five rebounds, and one block. The sophomore forward will likely see an uptick in his minutes after the injury to his teammate.

"Jarace did some good things," Carlisle told the room. "I love the aggression that he's showing right now. He's been rebounding the ball. Now is a great opportunity that's going to be presented to him with Obi probably missing some time."

Based on Carlisle's comments, it sounds as though the expectation is to be without Toppin for at least a couple of games. However, unlike some of the other injuries that the Pacers have been forced to deal with this year, this one does not appear to be as concerning.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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