SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Pacers All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton is listed as questionable on the injury report for Thursday's game against the Kings, suggesting that he might be able to return from his strained left hamstring earlier than previously suggested.

Haliburton had an MRI on the hamstring on Jan. 9 after slipping into an apparently painful leg split in the second quarter of Indiana's game against the Celtics on Jan. 8.

League sources initially said that he would be re-evaluated after the Pacers' Western trip. Three games remain on the trip − Thursday against the Kings, Friday in Portland and Sunday in Phoenix. It would appear he at least has a chance to play in one of those games.

The Pacers have handled Haliburton's absence this season much better than they handled his elbow sprain last year that cost him 10 games in January. The Pacers lost nine of the 10 games he missed in that stretch, including all four games on a trip that included trips to Denver and Phoenix.

This year, the Pacers rallied to beat the first-place Celtics in the game he missed and then beat Washington and Atlanta. They have since dropped both ends of a back-to-back at Denver and Utah.

Haliburton is in line for a starting spot in the 2024 NBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis on Feb. 18, leading all Eastern Conference guards in the fan voting through the second returns. He's averaging 23.6 points per game to lead the Pacers and leads the NBA in assists (12.5).

Three other Pacers are listed on the injury report: Bennedict Mathurin, Aaron Nesmith and Obi Toppin are all listed as questionable.

Mathurin, who is averaging 14.6 points per game, sprained his left ankle Monday night against the Jazz.

Nesmith has missed the last two games with lower leg issues. On Sunday and Monday, the injury was noted as bilateral shin soreness. He is listed on the injury report for Thursday as questionable with a "left tibialis anterior strain." Mathurin and Nesmith both practiced on Wednesday, however, according to coach Rick Carlisle.

Toppin, however did not pratice because of a left calf strain.

Guard Bruce Brown and forward Jordan Nwora are both listed as "out" on the report due to the pending trade that will bring Pascal Siakam to the Pacers.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Pacers vs. Kings: Tyrese Haliburton upgraded to questionable