INDIANAPOLIS — The Pacers didn’t wait for the fourth quarter to decide this one. They decided it in the first 12 minutes.
Indiana opened Thursday night at Barclays Center with a 31-14 first-quarter punch, kept layering on pressure in the second, and coasted past the Brooklyn Nets 123-94 on April 9, 2026. The win moved the Pacers to 19 wins on the season, while the Nets dropped to 20-60.
The story of the game: Indiana’s pace and passing
The headline number was simple and loud: Indiana finished with 43 assists. Brooklyn had 20. In a game that never required late-game execution, the Pacers still played with structure — quick decisions, extra passes, and consistent creation across the floor.
Brooklyn, meanwhile, never found a stable offensive rhythm early. The Nets scored 14 points in the first quarter and spent the rest of the night chasing the game from behind, trying to manufacture stops that never arrived.
How it swung: the first-half separation
Indiana’s advantage was established immediately. After the 31-14 first quarter, the Pacers tacked on another 32 points in the second while holding Brooklyn to 23. That 63-37 halftime margin effectively turned the second half into a test of professionalism — and Indiana passed it.
Brooklyn’s best stretch came out of the break, when the Nets matched Indiana 35-35 in the third quarter. But even that surge functioned more like a stalemate than a comeback. Indiana responded by closing with a 25-22 fourth, keeping the margin comfortable to the finish.
Quarter-by-quarter: Pacers in control wire to wire
- 1st quarter: Pacers 31, Nets 14
- 2nd quarter: Pacers 32, Nets 23
- 3rd quarter: Pacers 35, Nets 35
- 4th quarter: Pacers 25, Nets 22
What it means going forward
For Indiana (19 wins), this was the clearest version of how it wants to play: fast, connected, and pass-first. The assist total wasn’t just a nice-to-have; it was the engine behind a 123-point night and a stress-free road win.
For Brooklyn (20-60), the first quarter was the problem — and the warning. Falling behind 17 points in 12 minutes shrinks the playbook, forces rushed possessions, and turns every defensive mistake into a runway for the opponent. The Nets showed some fight in the third, but the game’s shape had already been set.
Next up
Indiana leaves Brooklyn with momentum after a statement win built on ball movement. Brooklyn is left searching for answers after another night where the margin was decided long before crunch time.