Early in the 2026-27 NBA season, the long list of injuries has been the main storyline as numerous stars across the league are already sidelined. The injury bug has bit several teams, but the Pacers’ injury report for Monday’s game against the Hawks was the most shocking one yet.

Tyrese Haliburton is out for at least two weeks with a hamstring strain, but that was only the start for Indiana. The Pacers were without 11 players against Atlanta. Obi Toppin was included on the injury report, but he dressed so the team would have eight active players. Kelly Oubre Jr. was active, too, but he was a late scratch due to a bruised left knee. That left Indiana with just six (!) available players in only its eighth game of the season.

Here’s a look at the laundry list that was the Pacers’ injury report on Monday:

• Tyrese Haliburton — OUT (left hamstring strain)
• Andrew Nembhard — OUT (cervical injury management)
• Pascal Siakam — OUT (rest)
• Ivica Zubac — OUT (left ankle sprain)
• T.J. McConnell — OUT (right hamstring strain)
• Aaron Nesmith — OUT (left hamstring injury management)
• Ben Sheppard — OUT (left meniscus surgery)
• Johnny Furphy — OUT (right ACL repair/surgery)
• Larry Nance Jr. — OUT (illness)
• Obi Toppin — OUT (lumbar sprain)
• Kelly Oubre Jr. — OUT (bruised left knee)

All five of Indiana’s starters were out. Siakam, Nembhard and Nesmith could’ve played, but each got the night off on the second leg of a back-to-back ahead of a day off for the NBA tomorrow. Rick Carlisle’s brand new starting lineup for the night was Jalen Slawson, Braden Smith, Jarace Walker, Quenton Jackson and Jay Huff. The only Pacer available off the bench was Kobe Brown.

According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks and Matt Williams, it was the earliest into a season that a team has used six or fewer players since 1948, when the Lakers used just five players against the Celtics in their third game of the season. That came a year before the NBA was the league’s name. Now, the depleted Pacers make their mark in NBA lore.

Here come your Pacers for tonight’s game pic.twitter.com/SUR8JNuwH1

— Alex Golden (@AlexGoldenNBA) November 3, 2026

The super six @Pacers. Go make a memory tonight! pic.twitter.com/wPZnRQoUFw

— Jeremiah Johnson (@PacersJJ) November 3, 2026

If you want to go even further, Indiana had just three players on the floor that are on standard contracts. Smith, Slawson and Brown occupy the team’s three two-way contract spots and will split time with the G League Noblesville Boom once their season starts later this week. If things keep going like they have for the Pacers, they may spend more time than expected with the NBA club.

How did the Pacers fare with just six players available?

You know what? The slim group didn’t do so bad. Indiana lost 108–104 to Atlanta, but the Pacers cut the lead to two points with 1:36 left in the game and missed a shot to take the lead with less than a minute to go.

Smith had a 19-point, 10-assist double-double in what was the first start of his young NBA career. Huff led the team with 22 points while Jackson scored 20 of his own. Every active member of the Pacers reached double digits in scoring. They did kind of have to, but still impressive.

Braden Smith highlights vs. Hawks 📹

19 PTS
8-13 FG
2-3 3PT
10 AST
4 REB
3 STL
1 BLK pic.twitter.com/v86QCTx9cx

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) November 3, 2026

All six players played at least 35 minutes. Walker, Huff, Slawson and Smith each hit 40. Smith cramped up late in the game and had to exit, which left Indiana with just five bodies for the final minute of the game. It was an admirable effort from the group who nobody expected would have a shot to win in the waning moments of the game. Ultimately, 34 points and nine three-pointers from Atlanta’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker was too much to overcome.

Postgame, Carlisle compared this to a game Indiana dealt with the day after the “Malice at the Palace” back in 2004 where his team also had just six players due to suspensions and injuries. That group went toe-to-toe with a good Magic team and lost by three points, which was a memorable performance.

“People are still talking about that game,” Carlisle said. “And they will talk about this game for a long time. Because what those six guys did was very inspirational. It illustrates the power of hard play and the power of hard unselfish play and putting a real competitive spirit on a game.”

The Pacers are just 2–6 and need to get healthy quick, but they can put out a hard-nosed team no matter what the injury report looks like. Carlisle said each player available earned more minutes or at least consideration for more playing time. A perfect example of taking advantage of the opportunity that’s in front of you.

PODCAST 🎧: Listen to SI’s NBA podcast, Open Floor, below or on Apple and . Watch the show on SI’s YouTube channel.