No two NBA games are the same, even if they include the same teams, in the same spot, less than 48 hours removed from each other. Unless you have a thing for turnovers, ejections, and an neighborhood’s worth of bricks, that’s for the better.
Unlike the absolute rock fight that was Pacers vs Nets on Thursday night, today’s game was a symphony of swishes and jams with an upbeat melody.
Nonetheless, it wasn’t a song Brooklyn fans will want to listen to again in the near or distant future. Despite it being a prettier basketball game overall, it was one that largely favored the Pacers in the end.
Indiana came into it game stretched and with their shoes laces double-knotted. With Tyrese Haliburton in the lineup this time, they were running early and often, generating seven transition points in the opening frame.
Brooklyn, on the contrary, stumbled out of the gate. With it now being their turn to play minus their point guard, it took the Nets over three minutes to find their first points of the game. They started 0-6 from the field and shot 7-21 from the field in the first. Made shots were at a premium, and the ones they did attain in felt more like answered prayers rather than earned rewards.
Nets offense so far? Jalen Wilson grenades.
Could've had an easier one in the corner earlier in the possession, but you'll take the end result. pic.twitter.com/cmiySCePOS
— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) March 22, 2025
Wilson was also as glad as anyone to get a different kind of game tonight. After putting up a goose egg despite logging 19 minutes on Thursday, the swingman finished with 13 points while shooting 5-12 from the field and 3-9 from deep. He, Keon Johnson, and Trendon Watford all led Brooklyn in the scoring department at halftime.
But with five of those makes being of the 3-point variety, Brooklyn was able to keep us out of early blowout territory, as the Nets only trailed after on 28-25. Yet in the second, more of the same continued. The Pacers continued to run and gun, snatching another seven transition points in the second.
Even on the plays not meeting the technical “transition” requirements, Indiana moved up and down the court with pace and precision. Much like Brooklyn used to with Ben Simmons, they’d inbound the ball with and push with tempo, aiming to catch the defense off-guard even after Net points or dead balls.
Pacers have done a nice job pushing even after stoppages tonight
Someone's just gotta get back here to help Jalen Wilson with Pascal. pic.twitter.com/4BRbD8YHxg
— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) March 22, 2025
Brooklyn’s offense being in disarray and Indiana’s willingness were also coefficient factors in a nightmarish cycle for the Nets, as broken possessions often led to energy-absorbing offensive possessions leaving only tired legs to then turn around and defend. Surely huffing and puffing, Brooklyn trotted into halftime down 61-52.
After that, Myles Turner turned what was already an above average night for him into a real dandy, scoring from everywhere around the court to put in 10 points for the period. When it was all said and done, the trade deadline’s cockroach (I swear this is a compliment even if it doesn’t sound like it) finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, and three blocked shots.
When he checked out around the five minute mark of the third, Brooklyn trailed by a 79-66 margin. Now looking like the Thursday version of themselves, they had the shots during that stretch, but couldn’t take advantage, as Indiana close the period on a 11-4 run, putting the Nets behind to start the fourth 90-70.
Even with that being the largest deficit of the game, it wouldn’t be a Brooklyn Nets game without a push-back effort that makes you proud, yet anxious with another eye on the draft lottery standings. Brooklyn save theirs for opening minutes of the fourth, where they enjoyed a 21-2 run.
The Pacers continued to race up and down the floor, but found themselves stumbling at the finish line of each possession more often than not in the fourth. The began the frame 1-11 from the field and 0-6 from deep.
But Pacers wouldn’t let it go any further than that. Being the seasoned vet that he is, Pascal Siakam knew Indiana needed to 1.) finally start slowing things down and 2.) actually score some damn points. He did both, looking inside and getting to the line where he added eight points in the final four minutes.
That miniature, manufactured burst from Siakam, plus a missed bunny from Nic Claxton put the Pacers up six under a minute to go. That gave them enough space to tread water until the final buzzer, even with Trendon Watford doing his to drown everyone at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Wat finished one tick off from his career high, contributing 26 points after shooting 9-14 from the field.
Indiana stayed shooting better from the field than the Nets, but Brooklyn came back to post a slightly better clip from three. Second chance points were only off by a bucket, with the Nets losing by two. Off the bench, where the Nets normally dominate, they only won by a deuce. The largest difference on the night from a statistical standpoint still came on the break, where the Pacers put up 21 points to Brooklyn’s eight.
You could argue Brooklyn should have been ready to run this race with the Pacers. Indiana’s speed at the offensive end has been well-documented for over a season now. They also rank top-10 in pace and transition points per game this year.
But when you’re also a team on the brink of reaching 50 losses for the season, odds are you’re not conditioned to stick with a playoff-bound squad step for step.
Final: Indiana Pacers 108, Brooklyn Nets 103
Next Up
NBA: Dallas Mavericks at Brooklyn Nets John Jones-Imagn Images
Next on the agenda is a team that’s been the punchline for just about every joke in the association post-February, and rightfully so. The Nets will host the Dallas Mavericks back at the Barclays Center on Monday evening, meeting them for the first time this season.
The last time these two teams played, Dallas not only had Luka Doncic, but Brooklyn had Spencer Dinwiddie starting at point guard and Royce O’Neal coming off the bench. So yeah, it’s been a minute.