NBAPreview

Pacers visit Pelicans on Oct. 21 as two weak defenses meet

Indiana ranked 28th in offense last year, and New Orleans was 28th in effective shooting. The market and Keel's projection disagree on the favorite.

Pacers: 19-63 last season, 28th in offensive rating at 109
Pelicans: 26-56, 24th in defensive rating at 116.5
Market: Indiana 58%. Keel projection: New Orleans 55%

Published October 21, 2026 at 8:04 AM1 min read How this story was written

Final

Indiana Pacers

New Orleans Pelicans

Box score and plays

The Indiana Pacers (19-63) visit the New Orleans Pelicans (26-56) at 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, October 21, a meeting of two bottom-third defenses from last season.

All records and ratings are from last season, with this season's rosters.

The Pacers scored 109 points per 100 possessions, 28th in the league, and shot an effective 53.3%, 23rd. The Pelicans allowed 116.5 points per 100 possessions, 24th, and opponents shot an effective 55.5% against them.

New Orleans has trouble at the other end too. It shot an effective 52.7%, 28th, and its three-point rate of 35.5 was 27th. But it grabbed 27% of its own misses, eighth in the league, while Indiana pulled down 21.7%, 29th.

Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 24 points a game over 62 games. Ivica Zubac averaged 10.6 rebounds in 48 games, and Andrew Nembhard handed out 7.7 assists a game.

For New Orleans, Trey Murphy III scored 21.5 points a game and shot 88.6% at the line. Derik Queen led the Pelicans with 7.1 rebounds in 81 games.

Three Pacers are out. Aaron Nesmith, who averaged 28.8 minutes, and T.J. McConnell are expected back Friday, October 23, and Johnny Furphy is out until Saturday, January 2. New Orleans has no one on the report.

Both teams finished last season badly. The Pelicans went 1-9 over their last 10 and the Pacers 3-7. Indiana's final game was a 133-121 loss to Detroit, and New Orleans ended with a 132-126 loss at Minnesota.

With the game in New Orleans, sportsbooks' prices give Indiana a 58% chance to win. Keel's projection, built from the players available, gives New Orleans 55%.