The Pacers head into tonight with little margin for error, carrying a three-game skid into a matchup that looks like their best chance this week to get back on track. The catch: they’ll have to do it shorthanded against a Brooklyn team still hunting its first win.
This is the second time these teams have met early in the season, and the first one was a one-sided Indiana win. A week ago today, the Pacers went into Brooklyn and rolled to a 136-109 victory behind Tyrese Haliburton’s season-high 24 points.
That version of Indiana won’t be available tonight, though. Haliburton has been ruled out, along with four other rotational players, and Obi Toppin is listed as questionable.
That injury pileup puts even more pressure on the Pacers’ supporting cast. In the first meeting, the bench carried real weight, with Jay Huff, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Toppin combining for 44 points on 17-for-24 shooting. It was Indiana’s most steady showing from the second unit, but with the current availability picture, at least two of those three are expected to be in the starting lineup.
If Indiana is going to survive this one, the role players will have to come through again. Last Sunday, the Pacers separated themselves by burying Brooklyn from deep and owning the paint. They outscored the Nets 63-39 from three-point range and 56-40 inside, a mix that made the game tilt quickly in Indiana’s favor.
That outside shooting edge may not be as easy to repeat. Brooklyn has been the better three-point shooting team this season, ranking 12th in the league at roughly 35 percent, while Indiana sits 22nd at 33.6 percent.
That puts a premium on the Pacers making the looks they get. If they let the Nets find rhythm from outside, this game could tighten up fast.
There’s also the matter of Brooklyn wanting a little payback. The Nets have not won yet this season, and they’ll be looking to flip the script after last week’s loss.
Around a year ago today, Brooklyn got its first win of the 2025-26 season against a Pacers team that was badly depleted by injuries. The setup feels familiar, only this time Indiana is the one desperate for a result, especially with the Pacers still winless at home.
One of the more interesting tactical pieces from the first meeting was how Indiana handled Julius Randle. The Pacers sent two defenders at him repeatedly to keep him from settling in, and it worked. Randle finished with just 10 points on 2-for-8 shooting in 24 minutes, though he did add seven assists and seven rebounds before sitting through most of the second half as Indiana pulled away.
Pascal Siakam also turned in a strong all-around performance in that game, scoring 21 points while shooting 50 percent from three. He chipped in seven rebounds and six assists as well.
Randle has since expressed frustration with the media about Brooklyn’s offense, saying it lacks purpose and sticks too often after one action in the play. How the Nets respond to that criticism will be worth watching tonight.
The game tips at 5:00 PM EST at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. It can be watched on the Pacers Streaming service of DAZN or NBA League Pass, and for Direct TV users, DAZN’s broadcast is on channel 671. The radio call will air on 93.5 and 107.5 The Fan and is also available on NBA League Pass.
In Other News...
Pacers Got Caught In A Viral Julius Randle Moment
The Pacers were on the wrong end of Brooklyns first win of the season, and the game carried a little extra edge when Julius Randle got tangled up in a rare on-court confrontation after a hard foul. The moment quickly traveled beyond the box score once a hot mic picked up Randle firing back with a warning, turning a routine regular-season game into one of those clips that keeps circulating long after the final buzzer.
Randle still finished the night with 20 points, five rebounds and six assists, a reminder that the flashpoint did not really slow him down. His postgame attention also shifted toward what comes next, with a matchup against his former team, the New York Knicks, looming on the schedule and adding another layer to a week that already had plenty of conversation around it. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Injury-Riddled Matchup Just Got Another Twist From Brooklyn
The injury list around this Pacers-Nets matchup keeps growing, and Brooklyn added another wrinkle by ruling out rookie point guard Mikel Brown Jr. for the game against Indiana. Brown is being held out because of back injury management and minutes restrictions, a decision that fits the cautious approach the Nets have taken with a roster already thinned by absences.
Brooklyn will also be without Egor Demin and Ben Saraf, which could push veteran Terance Mann into a larger role when the game tips. Indiana, meanwhile, is dealing with its own hit to availability, with Tyrese Haliburton and Ivica Zubac among the players sidelined, leaving both teams to sort through rotations under less-than-ideal circumstances. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Suddenly Have A Backcourt Problem They May Need To Address
Tyrese Haliburtons hamstring injury has turned a routine stretch of the season into a real test for Indianas backcourt depth. With the Pacers expecting to be without their All-Star guard for about two weeks, the immediate question is how they keep the offense organized and the tempo where it needs to be while one of the leagues most important playmakers is sidelined.
Bruce Brown, Seth Curry and Kevin Porter Jr. are among the free-agent names that could make sense if Indiana decides it needs outside help, though nothing has been decided. For a team built around pace, spacing and Haliburtons ability to make everyone around him better, even a short absence can force a search for answers, and the Pacers may have to weigh whether a temporary fix is worth making a move. [Read more 🡒]