MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Pacers held four starters out at Minnesota on Monday night, including stars Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam, and the final member of their usual starting five was ejected in the third quarter when Andrew Nembhard got his second technical foul of the game.
Forward Aaron Nesmith was scratched for management of his left ankle injury that kept him out for 35 games earlier this season. Center Myles Turner was out with a bruised left hip.
Nembhard was punished for chucking the ball at Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, who lowered a shoulder to check Nembhard's drive after he clipped Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley with an elbow to the chest.
Nembhard's first technical foul came midway through the first quarter. Gobert was also automatically ejected after an official replay review resulted in a Flagrant 2 foul call on him.
Siakam's first absence as a member of the Pacers, who acquired him 14 months ago in a trade with Toronto, was due to personal reasons. The three-time All-Star forward leads the team with an average of 20.9 points per game.
Haliburton sat with lower back soreness. An All-Star in each of the previous two seasons, Haliburton missed three games earlier this month because of a left hip flexor strain. The Pacers lost all three of those without their point guard.
Rookie reserve Johnny Furphy was also unavailable because of an illness, leaving the Pacers particularly short-handed against the surging Timberwolves. Nembhard moved to point guard and was joined in the original starting lineup by Bennedict Mathurin in the backcourt, Obi Toppin and Jarace Walker at the forward spots and Thomas Bryant at center.
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The Associated Press
