Pacers vs Nets Preview: Indiana Looks to Snap Losing Streak Against Winless Brooklyn

The Indiana Pacers enter tonight’s matchup on a three‑game losing streak, and they’ll do so without several key contributors. Their opponent, the Brooklyn Nets, are still searching for their first win of the season. This will be the second meeting between the two teams in the early part of the campaign; a week ago, Indiana traveled to Brooklyn and dominated 136‑109 behind a season‑high 24 points from Tyrese Haliburton.

Unfortunately, Haliburton along with four other rotational players have been ruled out for this game, and Obi Toppin is listed as questionable. Off the bench, Jay Huff, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Obi Toppin combined for 44 points on 17‑24 shooting last week – the most consistent showing from the Pacers’ second unit. With the injuries, at least two of those three will likely be in the starting lineup, and Indiana will need contributions from a lot of role players if they want a chance to win.

1). Three‑point shooting

Last matchup, Indiana had a lopsided advantage in three‑point shooting, outscoring the Nets 63‑39. However, the Nets have shot the ball better from beyond the arc throughout the season, ranking 12th in the league at approximately 35 %, while the Pacers sit at 22nd with a 33.6 % mark. Indiana will have to be dialed in from outside and make their open looks count. If they allow Brooklyn to get going from three‑point range, the game could be much closer than last week’s blowout.

2). Points in the Paint

A balanced diet of three‑point shots and points at the rim can make a team extremely difficult to defend. Last week, Indiana outscored the Nets 56‑40 in points in the paint, capitalizing on Brooklyn’s less‑than‑ideal interior defense. The Nets will likely seek revenge for that loss, and they are still hunting their first victory of the season. A year ago today, Brooklyn won its first game of the 2025‑26 season against a dismantled Pacers team that was struggling with injuries – a scenario that feels all too familiar tonight. Indiana desperately needs this win, especially since they remain winless at home.

3). Slowing down Julius Randle

In last week’s game, the Pacers sent two defenders at Julius Randle multiple times to prevent him from getting going. That strategic move helped impede his momentum and forced other players to step up into larger roles. Pascal Siakam had a solid outing with 21 points on 50 % shooting from three, to go along with 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Randle finished with 7 assists and 7 rebounds but scored just 10 points on 2‑8 shooting in 24 minutes before the Pacers blew the game open in the second half. He recently voiced frustrations with the media about the offense lacking purpose, so seeing how the team responds to his criticisms will be interesting.

Where to Watch

You can watch tonight’s game on the Pacers Streaming service of DAZN or on NBA League Pass. For those with DirecTV, DAZN’s broadcast of the game can be seen on channel 671. The radio broadcast will be aired on 93.5 and 107.5 The Fan and can also be heard on NBA League Pass. Tonight’s game tips at 5:00 PM EST at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/pacers/onsi as Pacers look to snap losing streak versus Julius Randle, Nets.

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