Nets at Pacers: a rematch shaped by Indiana's depleted backcourt

The scoreboard from October 25 is an obvious starting point, but a poor script for Sunday's return meeting at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Indiana won 136-109 at Barclays Center, shooting 48.8 percent from three. Haliburton supplied 24 points and 10 assists. He then missed the Pacers' NBA Cup game in Miami with a left hamstring problem, and the club had not submitted its November 1 injury designations when the league's Saturday morning report was checked. A rematch with the same tactical questions does not necessarily involve the same available players.

Both teams lost their opening Cup group games on Friday. Their Sunday meeting, however, is part of the ordinary 2026-27 regular season, outside the Cup group schedule. Indiana is 2-4 after a 145-125 defeat by the Heat. The Pacers scored enough to compete on many nights, but could not contain Miami near the basket. Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 31 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists. Quenton Jackson scored 24 for Indiana; Andrew Nembhard had 22 points and nine assists. Nembhard's ability to create a shot for a teammate while looking for his own will remain central if Haliburton is unavailable.

Indiana's frontcourt has its own uncertainty. Ivica Zubac sprained his left ankle early in the first Brooklyn game and did not play against Miami. When he exited at Barclays Center, Jay Huff stepped into a larger role and scored 14 points with three blocks. Pascal Siakam finished that win with 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Whether Zubac can return for Sunday's game awaits an updated designation; Huff's earlier contribution shows an alternative, not a confirmed starting arrangement. If the Pacers play smaller again, their defensive rebounding and rim protection deserve as much attention as their perimeter offense.

The Nets are 0-5 after losing 110-94 to Detroit. They committed 23 turnovers, made 11 of 37 three-point attempts and were outrebounded 50-41. Moritz Wagner led Brooklyn with 16 points and eight rebounds; Julius Randle had 15 and eight, and Michael Porter Jr. scored 13. Detroit's pressure turned a promising early Nets stretch into another difficult night. Brooklyn had shown a more competitive version of itself against Boston on Tuesday, taking the Celtics to overtime before losing 125-124. Porter scored 27, Randle 24, and rookie Mikel Brown Jr. hit the late three that forced the extra period. The question is which version can travel to Indianapolis.

Possessions, rather than a shooting replay

The first encounter turned when Indiana recovered from 12 first-half turnovers and committed only four after halftime. That cleaner second half allowed the Pacers to find their shooters; 21 made threes followed. Brooklyn cannot plan solely around Indiana repeating an unusually hot shooting night. It must pressure the passes that create open shots, especially if Nembhard and Siakam carry more of the playmaking. The Nets also need to make their own possessions last longer than they did against Detroit. A 23-turnover performance gives an opponent transition chances before a half-court defense is set.

Randle can test Indiana's interior coverage with physical drives and passes out of traffic. Porter is dangerous when defenders collapse and leave him room outside. On the other side, Siakam can attack a smaller defender or draw help before finding a teammate. Those are matchup possibilities, not a claim about a game plan the coaches have announced. Sunday's first few defensive possessions should reveal how Brooklyn handles the ball movement that hurt it a week ago and whether Indiana can protect the paint without relying on Zubac.

What the teams have reported about availability

The Pacers said before Friday's Miami game that Haliburton and T.J. McConnell remained sidelined with hamstring injuries. Zubac had missed games after his left ankle sprain; Obi Toppin was a late scratch in Miami with back soreness, and Ben Sheppard was among the absent rotation players. Johnny Furphy had appeared on previous injury lists following right ACL surgery. These are important facts about the recent lineup, but none is a formal November 1 designation. A return, an absence or a change of status must come from the new report.

Brooklyn's previous game information said Egor Demin had a bruised right leg and would be reevaluated the following week. Brown had been playing under a minutes limit. Their condition for the Pacers game also awaits an updated team submission. At 7 a.m. ET on Saturday, October 31, the NBA's official injury report marked both clubs “not yet submitted” for this specific matchup. That wording does not clear either roster.

How to watch Nets at Pacers

• Competition: 2026-27 NBA regular season. This is not an NBA Cup group game.
• Venue: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana.
• Tip-off: Sunday, November 1 at 5 p.m. EST in Indianapolis and the US East, 2 p.m. PST on the US West Coast, 10 p.m. GMT in the UK and 10 p.m. UTC.

United States

• TV: Indiana's official viewing guide describes DAZN as its local home, but the visible schedule checked did not assign a specific television channel to this game. The NBA game listing identifies League Pass and no national network. A general local rights agreement should not be mistaken for a confirmed game listing.
• Streaming: NBA League Pass lists the matchup for eligible viewers outside local blackout zones. In the Pacers' home territory, check DAZN's game guide and the required subscription. Local radio is listed on 93.5/107.5 The Fan.

Australia

• Time: Monday, November 2 at 9 a.m. AEDT in Sydney and Melbourne, 6 a.m. AWST in Perth. TV: no game-specific Australian channel was confirmed in the official schedules consulted. Streaming: the NBA lists this game on League Pass, which it makes available live to subscribers outside the US and Canada.

United Kingdom

• Time: Sunday, November 1 at 10 p.m. GMT. TV: a game-specific UK channel has not been confirmed in the official listings consulted. Streaming: NBA League Pass for subscribers.

Availability at the time of the report

Brooklyn Nets

• November 1 injury report: not yet submitted in the NBA's October 31 update at 7 a.m. ET.
• Egor Demin: bruised right leg reported ahead of the Detroit game; his Sunday designation had not been filed.
• Mikel Brown Jr.: recently played under a minutes limit. No new designation for this game was available in the report checked.

Indiana Pacers

• November 1 injury report: not yet submitted in the same league update.
• Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnell: missed Friday with hamstring problems; their Sunday statuses still require the new report.
• Ivica Zubac and Obi Toppin: Zubac missed Miami following a left ankle sprain, while Toppin sat out with back soreness. Neither status should be carried forward automatically.
• Ben Sheppard and Johnny Furphy: listed on earlier reports with knee issues; the club had not yet filed their game-specific designations.