The Pacers lost their fourth consecutive game and fifth in last six tries, after spending the second half chasing the Nets to no avail and eventually taking the L, 98-90.
The game itself is not worth breaking down past the general lack of juice throughout. The Nets lead 43-40 at the half after one of the least aesthetically pleasing stretches of basketball I’ve seen at the Fieldhouse. Fouls, turnovers and missed shot made for an ugly and very slow half. Made worse when Julius Randle for the Nets facilitated far too many possessions throughout the game with an abundance of jab steps and ball pounding that was simply maddening.
The Pacers center duo of Jay Huff and Larry Nance Jr. combined to make 1 of 7 shots and 6 of those shots were from behind the arc. Nance scored the four points between the two as Huff fouled out in 17 minutes in his least impactful game since trying to fill in for the absence of Ivica Zubac.
Pascal Siakam continues to grind away but has to be on the verge of snapping. With the current lineups he’s playing with, the defenses are throwing extra dudes at him and smartly allowing anyone else to beat them. The struggle is real.
An issue to keep an eye on is the patented Andrew Nembhard shoulder bump which the refs called an offensive foul late in the game. His move often dislodges the defender and has the same impact as other offensive players who push off and extend their arm, which the league is now emphasizing as an offensive foul. They need to verify the interpretation of the rule because if the shoulder bump starts getting called that would greatly impact Nembhard, as well as SGA on the Thunder.
The Pacers host the Hawks on Monday night for a quick turnaround. Siakam and Nembhard both played over 35 minutes on Sunday but expect to play because there really isn’t another choice. Obi Toppin was out on Sunday with some lower back soreness but could play on Monday.
The Hawks have some injury issues of their own bubbling up and they have lost four of their last five games, including a 121-99 loss to the Pelicans on Saturday.
Pacers vs. Hawks
Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
When: Monday, November 2, 2026 - 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: DAZN
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan
Odds: Pacers +4.5
Projected Starters
Pacers: Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Kelly Oubre Jr., Pascal Siakam, Jay Huff
Hawks: Dyson Daniels, CJ McCollum, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jalen Johnson, Onyeka Okongwu
Injuries
Pacers: Aaron Nesmith (hamstring) - probable, Obi Topping (back) - questionable, Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring) - out, Johnny Furphy (knee) - out, TJ McConnell (hamstring) - out, Ivica Zubac (ankle) - out, Ben Sheppard (meniscus) - out
Hawks: Jalen Johnson (ankle) - questionable, Kingston Flemmings (suspension) - out, Mouhamed Gueye (foot) - out, Jock Landale (hip) - out, Henri Veesaar (knee) - out