The Indiana Pacers vs. Nets preview centers on two teams still searching for their footing in the season’s opening week. Indiana (1-1) visits Brooklyn (0-1) on Sunday, Oct. 25 at Barclays Center, with both clubs looking to avoid an 0-2 start in their respective divisions. The Pacers enter off a 121-105 loss to Dallas on Friday, while the Nets are coming off a 110-103 defeat to Charlotte on Oct. 21.
Indiana sits a game back of Detroit in the Central Division, and Brooklyn trails Philadelphia and Toronto by a game and a half in the Atlantic. Neither team has found consistency through the first week, making this an early measuring-stick game for two rosters still working out their rotations.
Pacers Vs Nets Game Information
- Date: Sunday, Oct. 25
- Time: 6 p.m. ET
- Venue: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.
- TV/Streaming: NBA League Pass, DAZN IND, DAZN (YES)
- Series: First meeting of the 2026-27 season
Pacers Outlook
Indiana has dropped three of its last four games, including two overtime losses to Oklahoma City and Milwaukee before beating New Orleans 123-120 on Oct. 22. The Pacers are averaging 114.0 points on 48.3% shooting, a mark built largely on interior efficiency, with a 60.3% clip on two-point attempts. That inside scoring has not translated from deep, where Indiana is shooting just 25.8% from three through two games.
Tyrese Haliburton leads the team with 9.5 assists per game to go with 20.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.0 steal and 1.0 block, numbers that come as he continues his return from an Achilles injury, detailed in his season debut report. Pascal Siakam paces the Pacers in scoring at 26.5 points per game.
Indiana’s backcourt depth is thin. Aaron Nesmith is listed as day-to-day with a left hamstring strain, while T.J. McConnell (right hamstring), Ben Sheppard (left knee) and Johnny Furphy (right knee surgery) are all out, according to the Oct. 25 injury report.
McConnell’s absence was detailed in a team injury update, and Nesmith’s is covered in a separate status report. With four guards sidelined or questionable, Haliburton and Siakam are expected to shoulder a heavier offensive and ball-handling load.
Nets Outlook
Brooklyn opened the season with a 110-103 loss to Charlotte, its only game played to date. The Nets are averaging 103.0 points on 45.0% shooting with 22.0 turnovers per game, a figure that stands six higher than Indiana’s. Brooklyn’s three-point shooting has been a bright spot early at 38.7%, well above the Pacers’ mark from distance.
Julius Randle has carried the offense so far, posting 33.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.0 block in the opener. He is the team’s leader in all three major scoring categories. Forward Tyler Bilodeau is out with an arm and shoulder injury, according to the Oct. 25 report, thinning Brooklyn’s frontcourt depth behind Randle.
Key Matchup
Brooklyn’s 22.0 turnovers per game against Indiana’s defense, which has forced 7.5 steals per game, sets up as the pivotal battle. The Pacers also protect the ball well themselves, averaging just 16.0 turnovers to Brooklyn’s 22.0, a 6-turnover gap that could translate into extra possessions. If Brooklyn can limit giveaways against Haliburton and an Indiana backcourt missing three regulars, the Nets give themselves a better chance to control tempo. If the turnovers pile up again, Indiana’s 28.0 assists per game and interior scoring efficiency could turn live-ball mistakes into easy points.
Tyrese Haliburton, G, Pacers
Haliburton leads the Pacers with 9.5 assists per game as he continues his return from last season’s Achilles injury, and his playmaking becomes even more vital with McConnell and Sheppard both out.
Julius Randle, F, Nets
Randle is averaging 33.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists through Brooklyn’s first game, numbers that make him the focal point of every Nets possession until the supporting cast proves it can create its own offense.
What To Watch
Both teams are trying to avoid slipping further behind in crowded divisions. Indiana sits a game back of unbeaten Detroit in the Central, while Brooklyn trails Philadelphia and Toronto, both 2-0, by a game and a half in the Atlantic. A loss would drop either team to 0-2 or 1-2 early in the season. With Indiana’s backcourt depleted and Brooklyn still searching for consistent scoring beyond Randle, Sunday’s result could shape how each team approaches its rotation over the next week.
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