2025-26 regular season games thread

Pacers Forever · Post #1 » by **Pacers Forever** » Thu Oct 23, 2025 11:19 pm

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Game 1 OKC @ Pacers 10/23 @ 7:30pm

Wizop · Post #2 » by **Wizop** » Fri Oct 24, 2025 12:05 am

Surprised to see the backup point guard being Peter

Pacers Forever · Post #3 » by **Pacers Forever** » Fri Oct 24, 2025 1:00 am

Surprised to see 36% shooting the first half.

Pacers Forever · Post #4 » by **Pacers Forever** » Fri Oct 24, 2025 1:14 am

Nembhard in the locker room to start the second half and Sheppard on in his place.

Update

Andrew Nembhard has a sore left shoulder, he will not return.

Pacers Forever · Post #5 » by **Pacers Forever** » Fri Oct 24, 2025 1:30 am

Furphy is active, but he's not 100% from an ankle injury. So it appears he's available in emergency only per Scott Agnes post on X.

Pacers Forever · Post #6 » by **Pacers Forever** » Fri Oct 24, 2025 3:17 am

Pacers did well to hang with the Thunder tonight. Great amount of playing time for Sheppard, Walker, and Peter. Good learning experience and I liked what I saw from Sheppard and Walker.

Center spot is definitely bad. Obi Toppin was the best tonight at the 5. If Isiah Jax doesn’t get with it I can see Huff getting more minutes and possibly starting. Nesmith fouling out and only scoring 5 points hurts. Really no reason for the Pacers to be carrying Wiseman if they’re not going to use him. Need to cut him now for a guard and can revisit him if needed in a few weeks.

Pacersike · Post #7 » by **Pacersike** » Fri Oct 24, 2025 10:08 am

Way to go, Ajay! This season the losses don't hurt.

Glad to see Mathurin starting very hot, but I might support Newbhard with another point guard skilled player. Let's not forget he was a second round level great find talent, giving him the keys to our offense, is not the best way to win games.

Pacers Forever wrote:Really no reason for the Pacers to be carrying Wiseman if they’re not going to use him. Need to cut him now for a guard and can revisit him if needed in a few weeks.

Bigs always need more time, that's a reason, but I agree that he doesn't deserve much time with his talent level to get it going and we could really use another point guard.

Wizop · Post #8 » by **Wizop** » Fri Oct 24, 2025 1:21 pm

I'm beginning to think we should just start Obi. As for Wiseman, we may just not want to try all 5 options in the same game. I won't be surprised if we see him in the next game.

jowglenn · Post #9 » by **jowglenn** » Fri Oct 24, 2025 7:00 pm

Wizop wrote:I'm beginning to think we should just start Obi. As for Wiseman, we may just not want to try all 5 options in the same game. I won't be surprised if we see him in the next game.

That's what I decided basically the day after Turner left. Our best lineups in last year's playoffs were often with Obi at center. Our five best players are clearly Nembhard, Mathurin, Nesmith, Siakam and Toppin, and unless you have some drastic positional overlap, it's generally a good practice to just start your best five players. Those are going to end up being our five highest minutes guys anyway. I do understand the whole "staggering minutes" thing where you have a guy play starter's minutes off the bench, but... I just don't think there's any point in doing that in this situation.

Wizop · Post #10 » by **Wizop** » Fri Oct 24, 2025 7:14 pm

jowglenn wrote:t's generally a good practice to just start your best five players. Those are going to end up being our five highest minutes guys

Red Auerbach won a lot of championships doing the opposite. His famous 6th men (Ramsey, Heinsohn, Havlicek) were actually some of his best players. He felt bringing them in at the 6 minute mark made his team better at a time the opponent was making a substitution that made them worse. he felt the other team never caught back up. basically he gave up 6 minutes to win 42 minutes. there used to be an article somewhere on this site going into this.

Pacers Forever · Post #11 » by **Pacers Forever** » Fri Oct 24, 2025 9:59 pm

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Ruaidri · Post #12 » by **Ruaidri** » Sat Oct 25, 2025 12:06 pm

Was it not the same with the Spurs and Ginobli as sixth man, or Kukoc on the Bulls? Horry?

Toppin as first of the bench works pretty well.
I found Huff making more impact than Jackson.
Our center has to focus on rebounding, Scratchy points and occiasionally a 3 pointer. Scoring we have enough. Rebounding is the wrak spot.

Wizop · Post #13 » by **Wizop** » Sat Oct 25, 2025 12:13 pm

Ruaidri wrote:Our center has to focus on rebounding, Scratchy points and occasionally a 3 pointer. Scoring we have enough. Rebounding is the weak spot.

I'd agree on the defensive end, but being a threat from outside on offense opens the lane for drivers.

Pacers Forever · Post #14 » by **Pacers Forever** » Sun Oct 26, 2025 12:16 am

Starters vs Grizzlies

Sheppard
Mathurin
Nesmith
Siakam
Wiseman

Pacers Forever · Post #15 » by **Pacers Forever** » Sun Oct 26, 2025 12:57 am

Taelon Peter now out with a sore right groin. Hits keep a coming.

Pacers Forever · Post #16 » by **Pacers Forever** » Sun Oct 26, 2025 2:18 am

Mathurin sore right foot will not return.

Wizop · Post #17 » by **Wizop** » Sun Oct 26, 2025 2:43 am

Injuries mount. Gap year?

Pacers Forever · Post #18 » by **Pacers Forever** » Sun Oct 26, 2025 8:16 pm

Schedule is not kind to start out the season along with injuries it’s a huge challenge to become relevant.

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Pacers Forever · Post #19 » by **Pacers Forever** » Mon Oct 27, 2025 1:42 am

Another game another injury.

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Pacers Forever · Post #20 » by **Pacers Forever** » Mon Oct 27, 2025 10:30 pm

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