The Indiana Pacers were officially knocked out of the 2026 NBA postseason picture on Tuesday night following a 123-116 loss to the Sacramento Kings and a simultaneous Charlotte Hornets victory in Portland.
Indiana fell to 15-50, the league’s worst mark, while Sacramento improved to 16-50. Charlotte’s win moved the Hornets to 33-33 and solidified a 17.5-game cushion over Indiana for the final Eastern Conference Play-In spot with only 17 games remaining, making it mathematically impossible for the Pacers to catch up.
Tuesday’s defeat marked Indiana’s 10th consecutive loss and just the 10th time in the past 37 seasons that the franchise will miss the playoffs. The Pacers led by 20 points with 4:58 left in the third quarter before being outscored 46-19 the rest of the way.
“Crazy game,” head coach Rick Carlisle said. “End of the third quarter obviously was a big problem for us, and their bench just played an unbelievable last 15 minutes. We did a lot of good things in the first two-and-a-half quarters, but unfortunately the last 18 minutes count.”
Injuries have plagued Indiana all season. If the club finishes with a bottom-three record, it will hold a 52.1% chance of landing a top-four pick in the 2026 draft and a 14.0% shot at the No. 1 selection. That lottery positioning is critical because the first-round pick sent to the Los Angeles Clippers for Ivica Zubac is protected for selections 1-4 and 10-30.
Kings Sparked by Devin Carter
Rookie guard Devin Carter, who did not play in the first half, erupted for 22 fourth-quarter points and finished with a career-high 24 points, five rebounds and three assists in just 16 minutes. “It felt great, especially my teammates trusting me, putting the ball in my hands,” Carter said. “They set me up for success.”
Carter has appeared in only 27 games this season, averaging 14.3 minutes. He will miss Tuesday’s matchup against Charlotte with right calf soreness, while guards Russell Westbrook (right quad contusion) and Malik Monk (right ankle soreness) are also out.
Christie Rejects Tanking Talk
Kings head coach Doug Christie reiterated his stance against intentional losing before Monday’s game. “You do not mess with the game,” Christie said. “There has to be a respect for how you go about the game and how you play the game.”
The Pacers now turn their attention to player development and the upcoming draft lottery, while the Kings continue a late-season push despite significant injuries in their backcourt.
Source: Hoops Rumors
