Obi Toppin's Back Injury Adds Another Dent to the Pacers' Rotation

The Indiana Pacers will be without Obi Toppin on Sunday after the forward was officially ruled out with a back injury.

Just when you thought the guy was finally getting a clean runway to start the season, the basketball gods decided to pull the plug again.

Toppin has had a brutal stretch of luck lately. He was an ironman two years ago, playing 79 games in the 2024-25 season. Then he fractured his right foot last year, limiting him to just 24 appearances. Now, barely into the 2026-27 campaign, his back is the issue.

The Pacers as a franchise have basically been running a medical ward masquerading as a basketball team for the better part of a year. Every time they get a rotation piece back on the floor, someone else heads to the trainer's room.

Losing Toppin removes one of Indiana's best vertical threats and transition weapons. It also means the rest of the frontcourt is going to have to absorb some heavy minutes to make up for his absence.

If you were banking on a couple of lob dunks to cash a Sunday prop ticket, it is time to pivot. Late scratches like this are exactly why you never lock in your daily fantasy lineups until the final injury report actually drops.

We will have to wait and see if this is just a routine maintenance day for a stiff back or something that is going to linger into next week. Until the team gives a real update, adjust your cards and expect Indiana to dig deep into the bench.