With Tyrese Haliburton out this season, thanks to that brutal Achilles injury in the 2025 Game 7 Finals, the Pacers are stumbling, trying to find their groove but looking more lost than a GPS on a road trip! After falling 112-103 to the previously winless Brooklyn Nets, Indiana’s 1-7 record now ties them with the Nets and Wizards at the NBA’s basement. Every loss feels heavier than the last. Meanwhile, the Nuggets have been a fortress at home, undefeated 5-0 at Ball Arena, waiting for any slip-up. But with Denver missing one of its rising stars, could the Pacers finally catch a lucky break?

Initially listed as questionable, the Nuggets decided to play it safe after warm-ups, giving Jamal Murray a night off to recover. “Jamal Murray (calf) ruled out Saturday,” Underdog NBA confirmed on X. This will be the first game Murray misses this season. 

Unfortunately, he isn’t the only starter sitting out; forward Aaron Gordon, dealing with a hamstring issue, will also miss the game, marking the first time both starters have been absent this season. After their win over the Warriors the night before, hopes were high they might suit up, but the Nuggets chose caution, prioritizing long-term health over a single contest.

Here’s how the new lineup shapes up:

With Jamal Murray sitting out, the Nuggets are shaking things up, and Jalen Pickett gets his moment in the spotlight. Pickett, who’s barely seen the floor this season with just 5.3 minutes per game and a few healthy scratches, will make his first start of the year and only the fifth of his career. 

Fans might remember Pickett’s last start on April 9 against the Kings, when he exploded for 18 points, added four assists, grabbed a rebound, and even swatted a block in 31 minutes. Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway will also see extra minutes, stepping up to fill the gap.

Jamal Murray is off to a hot start this season, averaging 22.8 points per game and showing why he’s becoming a key leader for the Nuggets. In Denver’s 129-104 win over the Golden State Warriors, he scored 23 points, grabbed four rebounds, and handed out eight assists, standing out even alongside Nikola Jokic’s 26-point performance.

Jokic praised him without holding back: “When Jamal’s making shots, he’s a different player. He changed the game. He’s not shy at the moment, he’s making and taking big shots. He came in in the best shape of his life, he’s a leader and you can see he’s stepping up on the floor.”

The Nuggets have been dominant as a team, starting the 2025-26 season 6-2 and riding a three-game winning streak. Five of those six wins have been by double digits, and they’ve held a lead for 86.8% of the season. Saturday is Denver’s first back-to-back, following Friday’s convincing win over Golden State. 

With Jokic playing like a six-time All-NBA superstar gunning for a fourth MVP and Murray emerging as a leader, the Nuggets are already looking like one of the Western Conference’s top squads.

Even with all the success, Murray keeps his focus sharp. “Sometimes you can get kind of lax, the other team can surprise you,” he said, highlighting the importance of staying energized from start to finish. His overall impact is clear: 22.8 points per game (tied 22nd), 5.3 rebounds (tied 76th), 5.6 assists (24th), and shooting 48.2% from the field. 

And Murray’s absence could give the short-handed Pacers a chance to capitalize.

Injuries pile up as Pacers try to find rhythm

The Pacers are limping into Denver with a roster almost unrecognizable from last season’s Finals team. Tyrese Haliburton (right Achilles), Bennedict Mathurin (right great toe), T.J. McConnell (left hamstring), Obi Toppin (right foot), Johnny Furphy (left ankle), Quenton Jackson (right hamstring), and Kam Jones (lower back) are all out, while Andrew Nembhard was initially listed as questionable with a left shoulder strain but is set to play. 

With nearly all their top rotation sidelined, Indiana faces a massive challenge against a Nuggets team firing on all cylinders.

Through eight games, Indiana’s offense has been struggling to find rhythm. They rank third-worst in the NBA in offensive rating at 106.6 and are only averaging 111.6 points per game, also third-worst in the league. 

The style hasn’t changed, they’re still pushing the pace, sharing the ball, and making quick decisions, but without their top players, it’s like trying to run a marathon on crutches. Good looks still happen, but converting them consistently? That’s been another story.

Shooting woes have been a constant headache. Aaron Nesmith, usually a reliable scorer, has been cold from the floor, connecting on just 34.2% overall and 34.3% from deep. This version of the Pacers has already shot under 42% in four of eight games, something last year’s squad only hit six times all season, and not until Game 63. 

Obi Toppin summed it up: “I feel like we’ve just gotta continue our pace, continue our pace of play and just sharing the ball. That’s where our success came from last year, just everybody being involved and everybody having fun with each other playing out there. We have a culture, we’re going to try and stay in that culture.”

The team remains optimistic, as they should; fighting to survive, hoping for sparks from their remaining players, and dreaming of the day their stars return to the floor.