SAN FRANCISCO — Jimmy Butler scored 21 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and dished out seven assists to lead the Golden State Warriors to a 114-83 win over the wildly short-handed Indiana Pacers on Sunday at the Chase Center.
The victory handed the Pacers their first loss in the building since the Warriors’ move from Oakland to San Francisco, snapping Indiana’s six-game winning streak at the venue. It was also the lowest-scoring game for the Pacers this season and the first time they failed to reach 100 points.
Indiana, missing nine players due to injuries and other reasons, dropped their fourth straight game to fall to 1-9. Meanwhile, the Warriors improved their record to 6-5.
Rookie forward Will Richard contributed 15 points for Golden State, while center Quinten Post and guard Brandin Podziemski scored 14 points apiece. For the Pacers, point guard Andrew Nembhard led the team with 14 points. Centers Isaiah Jackson and Jay Huff, along with forward Jarace Walker, added 12 points each.
### Pacers Doomed by Lack of Firepower
The Pacers’ struggles were evident even before tip-off when they announced that forwards Pascal Siakam (rest) and Aaron Nesmith (right forearm contusion) would not play against the Warriors. With Siakam and Nesmith unavailable, Indiana was already down seven players, losing two key scorers who have shouldered much of the offensive load throughout the season.
Only one player in the Pacers’ lineup who finished among the top eight scorers from last season’s NBA Finals roster was available: Andrew Nembhard, who ranked seventh with an average of 10.0 points per game. Nembhard had just returned to action Saturday after missing seven games with a left shoulder strain and was the only starter with a full-season NBA double-digit scoring average.
Additionally, the only player who had scored more than 70 points this season and was available was forward Jarace Walker. Given this, it was no surprise the Pacers struggled offensively.
Indiana managed just 41 points in the first half, shooting 16-of-47 from the field (34.0%) and 4-of-18 on three-pointers (22.2%). No Pacers player reached double figures by halftime, with backup point guard Monte Morris and center Isaiah Jackson leading the team with eight points each.
The Pacers had a brief offensive burst to start the third quarter, sinking five three-pointers in the first 6:07 and outscoring the Warriors 17-11 during that stretch. However, they lost the quarter 27-24 and trailed by double digits entering the fourth. The fourth quarter was even more challenging as Golden State dominated 39-18.
For the game, the Pacers shot 32-of-94 (34.0%) from the floor and 11-of-39 (28.2%) from long range.
### Jimmy Butler Takes Control
While the Warriors were not as short-handed as the Pacers, they were without franchise star Stephen Curry, who sat out with an apparent nasty cold. The Warriors have won games without Curry before but seemed out of sync for much of the first half.
Eventually, though, Jimmy Butler, a six-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA selection, took over the game. Butler scored only four points in the first quarter on 2-of-4 shooting, initially focusing on involving teammates who struggled to convert the shots he created.
As he noticed the missed opportunities, Butler grew more aggressive attacking the rim. This forced the Pacers’ defense to collapse, opening up even more opportunities for his teammates. Butler finished with 21 points on 10-of-15 shooting, plus nine rebounds and seven assists.
### Pacers Keep It Close With Defense Through Three Quarters
Despite the significant personnel losses — including both All-Stars and their leading scorers — the Pacers leaned heavily on defense to stay competitive, and they mostly succeeded.
Forwards Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Cody Martin, recently signed to 10-day hardship contracts, have not contributed much offensively but have provided tough, physical defense. Their length and effort helped frustrate Butler, contain talented rookie Jonathan Kuminga, and limit the impact of Draymond Green.
At halftime, the Warriors led 48-41 but were shooting only 16-of-43 from the field, including 5-of-21 on three-pointers.
The Warriors finally energized in the late third quarter, highlighted by a four-point play from Moses Moody that extended Golden State’s lead to 10 heading into the fourth.
In the final quarter, the Warriors pulled away decisively, hitting eight of their first 10 shots to open up a 20-point lead by the 6:56 mark. Golden State finished the quarter with 39 points on 15-of-23 shooting, averaging an efficient 1.62 points per possession.
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The Pacers will look to regroup and find answers as they continue to navigate a challenging stretch, while the Warriors aim to build on this strong performance without their star point guard.
https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nba/pacers/2025/11/09/pacers-lost-to-warriors-without-pascal-siakam-aaron-nesmith-7-others/87051813007/